The Dusk Critical Metals Project
An integrated chain, from mine to metal.
The deposit
The Mabounié deposit
The Mabounié deposit lies in the Moyen-Ogooué province, about 40 km south-east of Lambaréné. It is a polymetallic deposit formed on a carbonatite, hosting niobium together with tantalum, titanium, uranium and phosphate.
The deposit is shallow and the ore is weathered, which allows a simple open-pit mine without blasting, with a low volume of waste rock.
History
Four decades of knowledge
| Period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1983–1986 | Discovery during the national mineral inventory, with the French geological survey (BRGM) |
| 1986–2007 | Development studies for a niobium project by successive groups |
| 2007–2015 | Development of a hydrometallurgical process, with pilot plants in France |
| 2025–2026 | Project taken over by NEM and DUSK; new industrial concept and updated feasibility study |
More than 1,000 drill holes and over 40 km of drilling make Mabounié one of the best documented deposits of its kind. DUSK builds on this legacy with a renewed industrial approach.
Mine to metal
An integrated chain, from mine to metal
Mine
Open-pit mining at Mabounié
Concentration
Physical separation at Mabounié
River transport
Concentrates by barge
Refining
Metal products at Ozouri
Export
Port access to world markets
Mabounié
Mine and concentrator
Ore is mined in an open pit and processed on site using physical separation only. No chemical processing takes place at the mine, which means fewer reagents, fewer effluents and a simpler site. Water is recycled within the plant.
Logistics
The river corridor
Only concentrates are transported, by barge along the Ngounié and Ogooué rivers, over about 250 km to the coast. The river is Gabon's natural highway and avoids the need for a long road or rail link.
Ozouri
A new industrial hub
The concentrates are refined at Ozouri, about 50 km south of Port-Gentil, on a site covered by a 50-year lease. The industrial park will host the metallurgical plants, the port facilities and the utilities. Its location near the coast simplifies the supply of reagents and the export of finished products.
