China's cobalt salt producers likely to face supply disruption amid raw material shortage in Africa

Zambian Ministry of Mines is advancing a proposal for a pan-African minerals and metals exchange to give producer nations greater control over mineral trading and pricing. Adviser Jito Kayumba said the plan builds on Zambia's metals-trading tie-up with Mercuria and has already been discussed with the DRC and two undisclosed countries. For lithium, the move aligns with Zimbabwe's SC6 export controls and Mali's Goulamina ramp-up, and could eventually offer an alternative to CIF China spodumene pricing as African-origin volumes grow through ports like Walvis Bay and Beira. DRC's Manono project (targeting 1Mt/y spodumene) would also fall within scope. SMM view: Early-stage and non-binding no confirmed members, governance, or timeline. Relevant to watch for delivered-cost and netback benchmarking on Zimbabwe/Mali/DRC assets, but limited near-term pricing impact.

Thermal energy storage provider Antora Energy has closed a $550 million Series C funding round to accelerate deployment of its thermal battery systems for industrial facilities and data centers in the United States. While not a lithium-ion BESS, the raise is significant for the broader storage sector as it demonstrates investor willingness to fund alternative long-duration storage technologies. Antora’s systems store energy as heat and deliver both electricity and industrial process heat, addressing a segment of the market that electrochemical batteries cannot serve. The funding round, one of the largest for a non-lithium storage technology this year, signals growing diversification in the U.S. storage investment landscape beyond conventional battery chemistries.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has officially approved a €100 million (approximately $114 million) loan to Gotion Power Morocco, a subsidiary of Gotion High‑Tech, for the construction of the first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery gigafactory in Africa and the MENA region. As the lead arranger under the “New Architecture for Financing Africa's Development” (NAFAD) initiative, the AfDB also plans to raise up to an additional €141 million from partner financial institutions to ensure sufficient project funding. The project is located in Phase III of the Kenitra Atlantic Free Zone, in the Rabat‑Salé‑Kenitra region of Morocco, and covers the full industrial chain from cathode material production, cell manufacturing, to battery pack assembly. Phase I is planned with an annual capacity of 10 GWh for EV battery cells and packs; with subsequent phased expansions, the total capacity is expected to gradually reach 100 GWh in the long term. Phase I is projected to directly create more than 600 high‑skilled jobs and raise Morocco's local industrial integration rate to 70%, significantly boosting the local supplier ecosystem and technical workforce development. AfDB Vice President Kevin Kariuki noted that battery energy storage is the “missing piece” in Africa's clean energy transition. The plant will primarily operate on renewable energy (wind and solar power), which will not only support large‑scale grid integration of new energy but also provide low‑carbon and reliable energy storage solutions. Leveraging Morocco's abundant phosphate resources and China's advanced battery refining and manufacturing technologies, the project will accelerate the local high‑value‑added conversion of critical minerals, shifting away from the traditional export of raw materials. It will help Morocco establish itself as a green mobility industrial hub serving both Europe and the entire African continent. This investment is highly aligned with the AfDB's four strategic pillars: resilient infrastructure development, accelerated industrialization, regional integration, and value addition to natural resources. It marks a milestone in the improvement of Africa's new energy industrial chain.