French miner Eramet restarts Senegal sands plant after fire damage

Eramet, a global French mining and metallurgical group,  has resumed production of heavy mineral concentrate at its Senegalese mineral sands facility, marking a cautious restart after a fire in February disrupted operations. 

The company said the plant is now running at roughly one-third of its designed capacity as it stabilizes output and implements temporary production fixes. The restart comes as the miner works to restore one of its key Atlantic-facing assets in Senegal, which plays a strategic role in its global mineral sands portfolio.

Production outlook cut as recovery timeline extends

Eramet has significantly revised its near-term production outlook, now targeting between 300,000 and 400,000 metric tons of heavy mineral concentrate in 2026, down sharply from a pre-fire capacity of about 900,000 tons.

Full production is now expected to return only by the first quarter of 2027, once reconstruction of damaged infrastructure is completed and ramp-up phases are finalized. The phased recovery underscores the operational complexity of restoring large-scale mineral processing systems after industrial incidents.

Financial pressure meets operational reset

The disruption is expected to weigh on near-term revenues, with reduced volumes limiting Eramet’s exposure to a strong pricing environment for mineral sands. Management has framed the restart as a stabilizing milestone rather than a full recovery, emphasizing operational resilience over immediate output normalization.

Eramet Chief Operating Officer, Charles Nouel  described the partial restart as a positive step for customers and stakeholders, while acknowledging that significant reconstruction milestones remain ahead before the site can return to pre-fire efficiency levels.

Strategic role in global metals portfolio

Eramet is a diversified global miner focused on critical materials including manganese, nickel, lithium, and mineral sands, commodities closely tied to electrification and the broader energy transition.

Its flagship manganese operation in Moanda, Gabon, remains one of the world’s largest high-grade assets, anchoring its upstream production base.

In 2025, the group reported roughly €2.5 billion ($2.9 million) in economic contributions across its footprint, with significant exposure in Gabon and Senegal, where local development and industrial integration remain central to its operating model.

Through its “Eramet Beyond for Contributive Impacts” initiative, the company continues to invest in job creation, entrepreneurship, and community development around its mining hubs, reinforcing its long-term social licence to operate.