Entities linked to the Chinese state have quietly assumed control of one of Malawi’s most strategic rare-earth mineral projects — without required oversight from Malawian authorities, an investigation by ICIJ partners PIJ Malawi, Finance Uncovered and The Continent found.
The probe focused on Mawei Mining Company Ltd., the holder of a large heavy mineral sands concession near Makanjira on the shores of Lake Malawi that are believed to contain more than 350 million tonnes of ore including zircon, titanium and monazite, a key source of rare earth elements.
Despite the government’s initial heralding of the site as a major economic opportunity with promises of jobs and infrastructure, work has largely stalled since the licence was granted in late 2017. Community leaders say they have seen no tangible benefits and that promised development projects have not materialized.
The investigation found that the ownership of Mawei’s parent company, British Virgin Islands-based Xinjin International Company Ltd., changed hands twice between 2023 and 2025, ultimately placing the project under majority control of two Chinese state-linked entities — Shandong Zhaojin Ruining Mining Industries Co. and Hainan International Resources, a regional state enterprise.
Under Malawian law, mining companies must notify and gain approval from the Ministry of Mining before any change in beneficial ownership, to protect national assets. But Malawian officials acknowledged that they were unaware of these transactions.
In response to the PIJ Malawi report, the Lilongwe government has launched an official investigation into the ownership changes and compliance with mining laws, with the mining ministry pledging a fact-finding exercise that could result in fines or administrative action.
Civil society groups warn the episode highlights wider governance gaps in Malawi’s mining sector, where weak regulatory capacity and opaque ownership structures risk ceding control of national resources to foreign interests.
“This is mineral extraction without oversight,” said Joy Chabwera, program manager at the Natural Resources Justice Network, a coalition of civil society groups in Malawi.
The government sees foreign investment, including broader Chinese mining engagement, as key to economic transformation. But for many in Makanjira, the promised benefits of Malawi’s mineral wealth remain elusive.