- Circular Rising
- Posts
- Industrial waste could unlock a rare earths supply chain
Industrial waste could unlock a rare earths supply chain
Dear subscriber,
Demand for rare earth metals is projected to rise sharply this decade. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions reshape global supply chains. Is this relevant to Africa’s circular economy? Yes, indeed. The continent could offer an alternative from its industrial waste. But whether it has what it takes to convert that potential into lasting value is an open question.
Mercy Maina – Editor
 | A $50 million US-backed investment in South Africa’s Phalaborwa project, built on historic phosphate waste, aims to convert mining residues into rare earth elements, opening a new frontier for the continent’s circular economy. If commercially proven, the model could enable recovery of critical minerals from industrial waste streams across Africa. |
Phalaborwa sits on 35 million tonnes of phosphogypsum from historic phosphate mining. Extraction is expected to yield neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium – all of them are magnet rare earth elements critical to energy, transport and defence sectors.
Demand for rare earths is rising, alongside efforts to diversify supply chains beyond China, positioning Africa as a potential alternative source as buyers seek to secure access.
Our take: Phalaborwa points to a replicable model, but its significance may ultimately lie in how it connects to the wider value chain, and whether it breaks from, or reinforces, the extractive patterns of the past… Read more (2 min)
 | Circular economy initiatives in Africa attracted $115 million in investments in the first quarter of 2026, with activity concentrated in West and East Africa, each accounting for three of the seven deals. The transactions, spanning Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana, comprised a mix of blended finance, grants and equity investments. |
Kenya led in total deal value, securing $56.8 million across three transactions, followed closely by Nigeria with $55 million across two deals.
Development finance institutions and blended capital structures dominated the quarter, with limited standalone private investment, reinforcing the sector’s continued reliance on catalytic and concessional funding.
Our take: The sector’s continued reliance on concessional capital suggests that circular economy models in Africa have yet to reach the scale or risk profile required to attract broader commercial investment….Read more (2 min)
 | Circular Rising has curated 18 open jobs across Africa’s circular economy this month. Southern Africa dominates the listing with seven roles, including five in Namibia alone. North Africa follows with five positions, while East Africa has three, West Africa two and one role spans the continent reflecting regional hiring concentration trends. |
Most openings are operational, technical and management-focused, largely at mid- to senior-level, including supervisors, managers, technical leads and consultants
Namibia-based waste management company Rent-A-Drum stands out as the most active recruiter, with five openings, followed closely by French waste company Suez, which is hiring for four roles in Morocco.
Apply for these roles here (2 min)
___________________
Source: Gjenge Makers
Light-duty pavers made from recycled plastic waste by Kenya-based Gjenge Makers
Events
🗓️ Network at the at the Sustainable Manufacturing Summit 2026 (May 19)
✍️ Learn to turn farm waste into energy at Bio360 Africa, S. Africa (June 17)
Various
🏧 World Bank approves $250M to Transform Kinshasa's waste management
🌳 Algeria launches green investment platform to channel youth into circularity
🍎 Global climate talks shift focus to food waste as COP31 draws near
🔋 Nigeria launches battery waste programme to tackle environmental risks
💰 Norfund invests $8.3 million in water reuse technologies in Southern Africa
⚡ Cape Town to buy power from waste-to-energy producers
🤔 South Africa's waste management dilemma: is it time to rethink operations?
💲 Explore investment opportunities in Kenya’s circular economy
Seen on LinkedIn
Ann-Aniedi Asikpo, an African fabric storyteller, says, “Right now, the fashion industry's biggest investors are pouring money into what they call "circular economy innovation." Repair hubs. Resale platforms. Fibre-to-fibre recycling. Longevity design. Community care networks. All of it was presented as new. Revolutionary. Forward-thinking. And yet. In markets across Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, and Port Harcourt, women have been running informal textile repair and resale economies for generations. A garment is worn, adjusted, repaired, passed on, remade, and finally, when it has given everything, cut into something else.”