• Angola’s Tetelo copper project to start production soon
• Mine to produce 25,000 tons annually, led by Chinese firm
• Luanda eyes copper to diversify from oil-dependent economy
  

Angola’s $250 million Tetelo copper project is expected to enter production soon, Reuters reported on Wednesday, Oct. 22, citing Mines Minister Diamantino Azevedo. Although no specific date was provided, this development would mark the Southern African nation as a producer of the metal on the continent, joining Botswana and Namibia.

Africa's copper supply is largely dominated by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, the continent’s first and second largest producers, respectively. Botswana, primarily known for diamonds, recently joined the ranks with the commissioning of the Khoemacau (MMG) mine in 2021 and Motheo (Sandfire Resources) in 2023.

In Namibia, the copper sector is experiencing a revitalization with the recent restarts of the Kombat (Trigon Metals) and Tschudi (Consolidated Copper) mines. The country also hosts other development projects, such as the future Haib mine, which its operator Koryx Copper says could produce 88,000 tons of copper per year for 23 years. This is in addition to exploration work like the Ngami project by Australia’s Cobre Resources.

Tetelo and the Emergence of Angola's Copper Industry

Angola is following a similar dynamic with Tetelo, a project led by China’s Shining Star Icarus. It is set to be Angola’s first industrial copper mine. Details suggest it should achieve an annual production of 25,000 tons of concentrate during its first two years of operation. This positions it as a key precursor to the nation’s nascent copper industry, which is also supported by several other exploration projects.

Since 2023, Canada's Ivanhoe Mines has held a portfolio of exploration assets in the country covering 22,195 square kilometers. The company’s website indicates that the project, which saw mapping and sampling work in 2024, is scheduled for its first exploration program this year. Separately, the Australian group Rio Tinto reached an agreement with the Angolan government in 2024 to explore for copper on a license located in Moxico province.

Though at a less advanced stage than Botswana and Namibia, the emergence of a copper sector in Angola aligns with a strategy of economic diversification. Luanda aims to reduce its reliance on oil extraction, which accounted for approximately 87% of its total export revenue in 2022, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Already a producer of diamonds and gold, the country could add copper to its export commodities if new projects like Tetelo come online.

The timing appears favorable given the forecast growth in global copper demand. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), current copper mine production will be insufficient to meet rising demand by 2035, driven by the growth of artificial intelligence and the energy transition. The IEA projects this will lead to a 40% copper supply deficit by that date. By developing its copper industry, Angola can help address this demand, though the process may be lengthy. The IEA also notes that copper exploration increasingly struggles to transition into new projects, often requiring an average of 17 years between a deposit discovery and the start of production.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou