Mozambique’s graphite production reached 28,018 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the target set for the period by 189% and surpassing by a wide margin the forecast originally established for the entire year, according to government data cited by Lusa.
According to the mining production execution report covering the first three months of the year, the strong performance was driven by the operational stability of the country’s principal producer and the entry into operation of a new mining company in Niassa province. “The level of production was influenced by the operational consistency of the largest producer of this mineral and by the entry into the market of a new company in Niassa, which contributed to a realisation of 189% against the plan,” the document states.
The result stands in sharp contrast to the official projections for 2026, which had pointed to annual graphite output of 14,814 tonnes. That forecast had been revised downward to account for uncertainties linked to the post-electoral environment and the operational constraints recorded across the mining sector.
The recovery follows a particularly challenging period for the industry. Although Mozambique closed 2025 with total production of 67,078 tonnes, the first quarter of that year recorded no output whatsoever, due to the suspension of operations at the Balama mine in Cabo Delgado province — regarded as one of the world’s largest reserves of natural graphite and a strategic supplier to the North American electric vehicle battery industry.
The halt in operations resulted from protests that erupted following the general elections of October 2024, disrupting mining activity for more than five months. The current performance therefore represents a significant recovery relative to recent years. After reaching a record 165,900 tonnes in 2022, national graphite production fell to 97,300 tonnes in 2023 and dropped further to 34,900 tonnes in 2024, as a consequence of operational interruptions across several production units.
The sector’s productive capacity received a further boost with the inauguration, in January this year, of a graphite processing facility in Niassa province. Valued at approximately US$200 million, the Chinese-backed project has the capacity to produce and process up to 200,000 tonnes per year.
At the inauguration ceremony, President Daniel Chapo argued that the project represents an opportunity for Mozambique to consolidate its position in global value chains linked to strategic minerals, through the production of high-purity graphite destined for the technology and electric mobility industries. The industrial facility currently employs 1,090 workers and is expected to exceed 2,000 jobs once it reaches full operational capacity.
Source: Diário Económico
