French mining group Eramet has partially restarted production at its mineral sands facility in Senegal following a fire in February that severely disrupted operations, the company said Wednesday.
The restart marks a cautious return to activity as the firm works to stabilise output and rebuild damaged infrastructure at one of its key African mining assets.
Eramet said the plant is currently operating at about one-third of its normal production capacity as it gradually brings units back online. Full production is not expected to resume until the first quarter of 2027, once reconstruction works are completed.
The fire earlier this year forced the company to halt its original production targets and reassess its output outlook for 2026.
Instead of the previously projected 900,000 tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate, Eramet now expects production to fall significantly, forecasting between 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes for the year.
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The Senegalese operation is part of Eramet’s broader mineral sands business, which produces materials used in industries such as construction, manufacturing and titanium-based applications.
The company has not provided detailed financial estimates for the total cost of the fire damage, but the disruption is expected to weigh on revenue performance over the short to medium term.
The partial restart is nonetheless seen as an important step toward recovery, particularly as the company seeks to maintain supply commitments and reduce the impact of lost production.
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Mineral sands projects are typically capital-intensive and sensitive to operational disruptions, with downtime often having a disproportionate effect on annual output due to complex processing requirements.
Eramet’s shares fell around 1.5 percent following the update, extending year-to-date losses as investors reacted to the slower-than-expected recovery timeline.
Analysts say the revised production outlook reflects both the severity of the fire damage and the time required to safely restore full operational capacity.
The company said reconstruction efforts are underway and that it remains committed to returning the facility to full production levels by early 2027, subject to engineering progress and equipment replacement schedules.
Senegal has become an increasingly important mining hub in West Africa, attracting foreign investment in mineral sands, gold and phosphate projects as governments seek to expand industrial exports and value-added processing.
Eramet’s project is among the region’s significant industrial mining operations, contributing to export earnings and local employment.
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The disruption highlights the operational risks faced by mining companies in large-scale processing facilities, where safety incidents can lead to extended shutdowns and costly recovery periods.
Despite the setback, the partial restart signals a step toward normalisation as the company works to rebuild output and restore investor confidence in its African operations.
