Mozambique Government: Protected Areas Mineral Prospecting Ordered, Rights Granted

• Mozambique's government has directed conservation managers to map mineral deposits within protected areas.
• A state commission, CTRAC, is currently reviewing and considering redrawing the boundaries of protected areas, with initial results expected from September 2026.
• Prospecting rights have already been issued in the buffer zone of Niassa Special Reserve and near Gorongosa National Park.
• Mineral rights are often allocated to politically influential Mozambicans who then partner with foreign companies for financing and extraction.
• The Montepuez Ruby Mining model, involving Gemfields and Mwiriti (part-owned by a veteran and former Frelimo Political Commission member), exemplifies this allocation strategy.

Their primary contribution to potential mining ventures is not financial investment or technical expertise, but rather their unique ability to facilitate access.

The Mozambican government has issued a directive to conservation managers, instructing them to undertake the mapping of mineral deposits within their respective areas. This initiative coincides with an ongoing review by the Technical Commission for the Resizing of Conservation Areas (CTRAC), which was established in mid-October 2025 and is evaluating the potential redrawing of boundaries for protected areas across the nation, with initial results expected from September 2026. These concurrent actions signal a significant re-evaluation of land use, potentially opening up previously protected zones to extractive industries.

Evidence of this shift is already apparent, with prospecting rights having been granted in ecologically sensitive regions. Specifically, licenses for mineral exploration have been allocated within the buffer zone immediately adjacent to the Niassa Special Reserve. Furthermore, similar prospecting rights have been issued for areas located in close proximity to Gorongosa National Park, indicating a broader trend of mineral exploration encroaching upon or bordering Mozambique's key conservation sites.

The process of allocating mineral rights in Mozambique frequently involves politically influential individuals. These Mozambican nationals, often possessing limited personal capital or direct mining operational capacity, are strategically positioned to secure these valuable rights. Their primary contribution to potential mining ventures is not financial investment or technical expertise, but rather their unique ability to facilitate access.

This access is crucial, encompassing the acquisition of necessary licenses, engagement with key government officials, and securing land rights that would otherwise be unattainable for external entities. Once these initial access points are established, these influential individuals typically partner with foreign companies, including those from China and South Africa, who then provide the essential financing and technical capabilities required to advance the extraction process.

This model of mineral rights allocation creates a complex interplay between conservation imperatives and the drive for resource extraction. The established precedent of Montepuez Ruby Mining serves as a clear illustration of this dynamic. In this venture, Gemfields holds a 75% ownership stake, while the remaining 25% is owned by Mwiriti.

Mwiriti's shareholder structure includes Raimundo Pachinuapa, a veteran of the liberation war and former member of the Frelimo party's Political Commission. This arrangement demonstrates how a locally connected company, leveraging its political ties, can secure a position in what became one of the world's most valuable ruby deposits. Subsequently, this local access paves the way for foreign capital and technical expertise to enter and develop the resource, highlighting a prevalent operational framework within Mozambique's mining sector.

Lawyers advising mining or environmental clients in Mozambique should closely monitor the state commission's review of protected areas and the government's directive to map mineral deposits, as this signals significant policy shifts that could open new areas for exploration or alter existing land-use regulations. This also highlights the importance of robust due diligence on local partners given the political influence in license allocation.

Source: Original reporting via Zitamar News