Lobito Corridor Unlocks African Critical Minerals, Experts Say Processing Is Next Step

Developing manufacturing in Africa could be how the United States competes with China, a technology consulting expert said..

U.S. President Joe Biden (3rd R) meets employees of Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) with Director of Operations at LAR Nicolas Gregoir (R) in Lobito, Angola, on Dec. 4, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

On his last foreign trip as U.S. president, Joe Biden visited the Angolan port of Lobito in December 2024 and unveiled what he described as a “game changer” investment project that would supply rare earths without the need to rely on China.

The Lobito Corridor is a railroad project that connects the Atlantic coast port to the mineral-rich African interior, including Kolwezi in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ndola in Zambia’s copper belt.