In October 2025, the DFC partnered with U.S. investment firm Orion and Abu Dhabi–based ADQ to launch the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (Orion CMC) – a $1.8 billion financing vehicle designed to accelerate critical mineral production in emerging markets. The partners plan to expand the fund’s capital base to $5 billion, offering a significant opportunity for Africa, which holds 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, to scale up production and value addition.

Commenting on the partnership, Frank Fannon, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Orion CMC, noted that while the U.S. recognized the need to diversify its mineral supply chains more than a decade ago, it lacked a private-sector partner with the experience and capacity to operate in emerging markets.

Beyond the Orion CMC, the DFC has approved several mining investments across Africa in 2025. These include $4.6 million for Mkango Resources’ Songwe Hill Rare Earth Project in Malawi, $6.5 million for Twigg Exploration and Mining’s Balama Graphite Project in Mozambique, and a $3 million loan to Millennial Potash for the Banio Potash Project in Gabon. The DFC also provided additional funding tranches to Blencowe Resources for its Orom-Cross Graphite Mine in Uganda and, in July 2025, approved financing for two critical minerals projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

These 2025 investments build on earlier DFC commitments, including $553 million in the regional Lobito Corridor transport infrastructure project and $3.4 million to Pensana for the Longonjo Rare Earth Project in Angola. The DFC has also supported the Phalaborwa Rare Earths Project in South Africa with $50 million, along with financing for Chillerton’s Copper Mine in Zambia and the Kabanga Nickel Project in Tanzania.

The DFC’s investment momentum also aligns with broader industry initiatives such as African Mining Week (AMW), held annually, which seeks to bolster the flow of investment across Africa’s mining value chain by connecting U.S. and global investors with emerging opportunities in mineral exploration, production and downstream development. AMW provides a platform for governments, financiers and private‑sector stakeholders to explore strategies for scaling production, strengthening supply chains and fostering partnerships that support sustainable growth across the continent, with its next edition scheduled for November 16-18, 2026.

With global demand for critical minerals expected to quadruple by 2050, and Africa capitalizing on this growth for economic development, U.S.–Africa mining ties are expected to deepen through the DFC’s expanding investments across the continent’s critical minerals value chain.