Mining underpins the Congolese economy. In 2024 the extractive industry grew by 12.8 percent, driven by copper and cobalt production. The Kamoa‑Kakula copper project (operated by Ivanhoe Mines and partners) continues to ramp up output, while new projects such as Tenke Fungurume’s cobalt expansion and the Manono lithium project attract investment. In February 2025 the government suspended cobalt exports for four months to address market oversupply and will introduce export quotas in October 2025.
DRC holds some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt (about 50–70 percent of global supply), copper, coltan, lithium and gold. Opportunities exist for:
- Exploration and development services for copper, cobalt, lithium, rare‑earth elements, gold and industrial minerals.
- Equipment and technology such as drilling rigs, haul trucks, process control systems, beneficiation and smelting technologies, and environmental‑monitoring equipment.
- Downstream processing to produce battery‑grade cobalt, copper cathodes and precursor materials for electric‑vehicle batteries. Partnerships with U.S. automakers and battery manufacturers could secure supply chains.
- Responsible sourcing initiatives and due‑diligence services to meet OECD and U.S. compliance requirements on conflict minerals and labor standards.
- Ancillary infrastructure, including power, transport, and housing for mining communities.
Challenges: The 2018 mining code increased royalties and imposed a “strategic minerals” tax. Negotiations with state-owned mining enterprises (including but not limited to the copper and cobalt state mining company Gécamines can be protracted. Poor transport links and electricity shortages raise costs. Artisanal and small‑scale mining is widespread and often associated with child labor and environmental harm. Due diligence and community engagement are essential.