MAPUTO — Kenmare Resources Plc has signed a $500,000 agreement with a Mozambican non-governmental organization to ease community tensions in northern Nampula province, a region critical to the company’s supply of titanium feedstocks to global markets.
The three-year initiative, co-funded with the Civil Society Support Mechanism (MASC Foundation), will run from 2026 to 2028. The program aims to reduce disputes and strengthen community relations in the Larde and Moma districts, home to Kenmare’s flagship heavy mineral sands operation.
The move comes at a sensitive time for the Dublin- and London-listed miner. Kenmare has recently faced headwinds in Mozambique, including friction with the national tax authority over royalty terms and an escalating push by the government to renegotiate legacy mining contracts. Securing local stability is increasingly seen by executives as a prerequisite to protecting massive, multi-decade capital investments.
Dialogue Forums
The capital injection will establish integrated forums bringing together corporate executives, local civil society leaders, and government officials. The primary objective is to build early-warning systems for local grievances and involve host communities in regional development planning.
“This is a three-year programme that will be implemented in the Larde and Moma regions and focuses on promoting social cohesion within these communities,” Maura Martins, executive director of the MASC Foundation, said at a signing ceremony in Maputo. “At present, we have an investment of US$500,000 for the programme,” she added, noting that funding could increase as local operations expand.
The funding will rely on grassroots infrastructure, deploying community mobilizers to de-escalate flashpoints before they interrupt mining operations.
For Kenmare, which has operated the massive Moma open-pit mine for nearly two decades, the investment is less about charity and more about risk mitigation.
“Strong communities are essential to the sustainability of investments and social stability in the areas where the mining company operates,” said Gareth Clifton, Kenmare’s Mozambique Country Manager. The miner aims to reinforce local public institutions to ensure more predictable community participation, he added.
Global Supply Footprint
Kenmare’s operations are highly strategic to the global industrial supply chain. The Moma mine exploits one of the planet’s largest deposits of titanium and zircon, accounting for roughly 7% of global titanium raw feedstocks. Its output is exported to buyers in more than 15 countries for utilization in consumer and industrial products, including high-grade paints, plastics, and ceramics.
The company has maintained a presence in the Southeast African nation for more than 30 years, leaning heavily on the longevity of its Moma asset, which boasts an estimated mine life stretching well over half a century.
