Gabon Seeks $2 Billion to Revive Mabounié Niobium and Rare Earth Project, Targeting 2027 Construction

Highlights

• Gabon plans a $2 billion revival of the long-stalled Mabounié project involving UAE-backed New Energy Metals and Chinese engineering firm ENFI, targeting 2027 construction.
• The deposit holds an estimated 2.3 million tonnes of Nb₂O₅ and 2 million tonnes of rare earth oxides, but these are historical resource estimates, not proven economically recoverable reserves.
• Conflicting production figures, unresolved metallurgy, and no confirmed financing or offtake agreements leave the 2027 timeline aspirational rather than certain.
• Mabounié could diversify both niobium supply (dominated by Brazil) and rare earth separation (dominated by China), but financing terms will determine who captures the strategic value.