Europe’s critical raw materials strategy is frequently discussed in relation to lithium, batteries and rare earths, while other inputs remain central to industrial production. Alloying metals such as molybdenum and manganese are used in applications including steel production, aerospace engineering, defense manufacturing, energy infrastructure and heavy industry. Logistics infrastructure is also highlighted as part of supply security for industrial metals.
Malmbjerg molybdenum project in Greenland
In Greenland, the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project is described as an external sourcing opportunity for alloying metals. The project received a 30-year mining permit in 2025. Production expectations include around 32.8 million pounds of molybdenum concentrate annually.
The project is also expected to have the potential to supply approximately 25% of Europe’s molybdenum demand. Finnish stainless-steel producer Outokumpu has signed a 10-year offtake agreement. The agreement covers roughly 8 million pounds per year, stated to be nearly half of Outokumpu’s total demand.
Moanda manganese mine and export policy change
In West Africa, Gabon’s Moanda Manganese Mine, operated by Eramet’s Comilog subsidiary, is cited as a major source of high-grade manganese. The deposit accounts for roughly 13% of global manganese ore production. The project is moving into a structural transition.
The Gabonese government plans to ban crude manganese exports starting in 2029. The stated aim is to increase domestic processing and value creation. The policy shift is described as introducing potential for expanded local refining capacity and reduced flexibility in raw ore exports.
The transition is also linked to increased importance of long-term industrial partnerships and possible restructuring of supply costs for European buyers. For Europe, the key challenge is adapting to a supply chain where value creation increasingly occurs at the source rather than at destination markets.
Lobito Corridor links Copperbelt output to Angola’s coast
The Lobito Corridor is presented as a logistics-focused element of Europe’s raw-material strategy. It functions as a transport and trade corridor rather than a mine. It connects the mineral-rich Copperbelt in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola’s Atlantic coast.
The corridor’s benefits are described in terms of reducing transport time from over one month to around one week. It is also expected to improve export efficiency for copper and cobalt shipments. Additional stated benefits include diversifying African export routes away from traditional corridors and strengthening access to critical electrification metals.
The European Union and member states have committed more than €2 billion through the Global Gateway initiative to support development of the corridor. The investment is described as making Lobito an enabler of mineral supply resilience.
An integrated approach to critical minerals: production, processing, transport
The strategy described for Europe increasingly moves beyond individual mines toward integrated systems covering production, processing and transport. Three elements are presented together as components of that system. These include Malmbjerg in Greenland, Moanda in Gabon and the Lobito Corridor for transport infrastructure.
Malmbjerg (Greenland) is positioned within the system for securing industrial molybdenum supply for steel and defense. Moanda (Gabon) is associated with global manganese production under shifting export policies. The Lobito Corridor is linked to enabling efficient copper and cobalt flows.
Alloying metals and corridors within Europe’s 2026-2030 planning window
Between 2026 and 2030, Europe is expected to treat alloying metals and logistics corridors as core components of its critical minerals security framework. Projects are described as being assessed through their roles within industrial supply chains rather than only through mining output.
Malmbjerg, for example, is described as being valued for direct industrial offtake relationships. Moanda is described as becoming more strategically complex as downstream processing expands in Africa. The Lobito Corridor is described as serving as a test of whether infrastructure investment can translate into reliable mineral supply chains.
