East African Mining News Unearthing Mining Opportunities in East Africa
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Tanzania formalised its mandated 16% free-carried equity stake in the flagship Lindi Jumbo graphite project, securing a direct share in a high-grade asset central to East Africa’s ambitions to become a vital hub for green transition metals.
The agreement, signed May 28 by Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde, establishes a new joint venture vehicle dubbed Ndovu Graphite Limited. Under the terms of the deal, which aligns with ownership mandates laid out in Tanzania’s Mining Act of 2017, Lindi Jumbo Limited will retain the remaining 84% operator stake. The asset represents a critical piece of the nation’s mineral strategy as it looks to position itself against dominant global suppliers like China.
Valued at more than $82 million, the Lindi Jumbo mine boasts some of the highest-grade graphite reserves in Africa, featuring an average ore grade of 17.9% total graphitic carbon. Located in the country’s southeastern Ruangwa District, the deposit has confirmed reserves of 5.5 million tonnes and an estimated operational lifespan of 24 years. The mine reached its peak annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes of graphite concentrate in June 2025, just over a year after shipping its first commercial batch.
The deal highlights a successful operational turnaround for the project. Lindi Jumbo Limited was previously the wholly owned subsidiary of Australian explorer Walkabout Resources Ltd., which collapsed into voluntary administration in late 2024 following cost overruns and cash-flow bottlenecks linked to shipping delays at the port of Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania currently ranks sixth globally in graphite production, pumping out roughly 25,000 tonnes annually between Lindi Jumbo and the God Mwanga mine in Tanga. However, the government intends to drastically scale that footprint. Minister Mavunde issued a warning to the remaining 28 corporate license holders currently in development stages, stating that the government will revoke licenses for operators who fail to move their projects toward active production.
The East African nation is aiming to leverage more than 30 medium- and large-scale mining licenses to capture a larger piece of the global electric vehicle supply chain. While China still overwhelmingly dominates the sector producing roughly 1.2 million tonnes of the battery anode material per year, Tanzania is banking on its high-quality flake distribution to win market share. Lindi Jumbo, which sorts its output into premium “Super Jumbo” and “Jumbo Large” flakes, currently counts India as its primary export destination while actively seeking product qualification to enter supply chains in Germany and China.
