Tanzania South Korea Critical Minerals 2026: A New Frontier for Battery Resilience
Discover how the Tanzania South Korea critical minerals 2026 partnership is reshaping the battery supply chain. Features insights on graphite mining and POSCO's investments.
South Korea's search for stable resource partners has found a promising anchor in East Africa. According to Yonhap News, Tanzanian Ambassador Togolani Mavura stated in an interview on January 8, 2026, that Tanzania is ready to become a strategic hub for South Korea's critical minerals supply chain, addressing the vulnerabilities of both nations.
Tanzania South Korea Critical Minerals 2026: Scaling the Value Chain
Tanzania stands as the only country to have signed a bilateral framework with Seoul specifically for critical minerals. The nation boasts massive deposits of graphite, nickel, and lithium. Ambassador Mavura highlighted that 84% of potential mineral areas remain unsurveyed, suggesting that the current known reserves are just the tip of the iceberg.
A key highlight of this partnership is POSCO's investment in the Mahenge mine. This deal aims to secure 750,000 tons of natural graphite over a 25-year period. As graphite is a primary material for EV battery anodes, this move is crucial for Korean tech giants looking to decouple from over-reliance on single-source suppliers.
Shifting from Aid to Bold Private Investment
Since diplomatic ties were established in 1992, the relationship has matured from official development assistance (ODA) to high-level economic cooperation. Tanzania is the largest African recipient of Korea's concessional loans, with a framework agreement worth $2.5 billion for 2024-2028. Negotiations are also underway for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to facilitate smoother trade.
However, the ambassador noted a cultural gap in Korean corporations. While chairmen show "audacity," middle management often remains risk-averse. To bridge this, the South Korean government's $14 billion financing package announced at the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit is expected to de-risk private sector ventures into the African market.
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