Abstract:
This paper is the result of geological survey engineering.
Objective Southern Africa is characterized by complex tectonic evolution and significant mineralization. A systematic study of regional mineral resource, summarizing resource endowment and exploration–development trends, is of great significance for improving the understanding of regional metallogeny, guiding mineral exploration, and supporting investment by Chinese enterprises.
Methods Based on multi-source data collection, this study comprehensively reviews the regional mining development level, tectonic unit division, mineral resource endowment, spatiotemporal distribution patterns of mineral deposits, and exploration-development trends.
Results Mining is one of the pillar industries in most countries of southern Africa. The region belongs to the Gondwana tectonic domain and has undergone multi-stage evolution, including craton formation, accretion of mobile belts, and intracontinental rifting. Marked by the Neoproterozoic Pan-African event, the region can be subdivided into 3 second-order and 38 third-order tectonic units. The region hosts over 70% of the world’s chromium and platinum-group element (PGE) resources, more than 50% of titanium and zirconium, and over 40% of cobalt, diamonds, and graphite. From 2011 to 2025, exploration investment in southern Africa accounted for approximately 4.59%–9.27% of the global total. With the rapid development of the new energy industry, exploration investment in cobalt, lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements (REE) has grown significantly.
Conclusions Distinct spatiotemporal patterns of mineralization are observed across the region, with important strategic minerals formed during different geological periods. Areas such as the copper–cobalt metallogenic belt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the pegmatite-type lithium mineralization region in the Zimbabwe Craton exhibit great exploration potential. Copper, gold, diamonds, and PGE are the primary focus of capital investment, while the DRC, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia are key investment hotspots. It is recommended to prioritize dominant mineral resources including copper–cobalt in the DRC, chromium and platinum in South Africa, and lithium in Zimbabwe, while strengthening preliminary basic geological surveys.
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