Congo extends state control over mining with bid to lock down geological data
The plan will build a national mineral databank and use a tiered access system as Congo seeks more leverage over future exploration, officials said.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo launched a $180 million initiative to modernize national geological mapping and build a comprehensive databank on critical mineral resources. The program aims to tighten state control over geological data that guides billions of dollars in mining exploration.
- Systematic exploration has covered only about 20% of Congo despite the country holding the world's largest cobalt reserves estimated at 6 million tons. Authorities aim to centralize geological data previously held by foreign companies, treating it as a strategic national asset.
- The nationwide project, contracted to Spain-based Xcalibur, uses airborne surveys and digitized historical archives to map more than 700,000 square kilometers. The national databank is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.
- Kinshasa plans a tiered access system offering basic geological information free while charging fees for sensitive datasets to fund continued mapping. Critics question whether the government will apply these rules fairly to all investors rather than favoring insiders.
- This initiative emerges amid intensifying competition between the United States and China for critical minerals. Officials claim the strategy aims to diversify mining partners, though experts warn the real test is whether data access remains transparent and fair to all.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Decades after colonial-era mapping, Africa’s mineral powerhouse launches $180 million drive with US, France, others to control mineral data
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spending $180 million to map its vast and largely unexplored territory as Kinshasa seeks greater control over the geological information that could determine where billions of dollars in future mining investment flows.
DR Congo extends state control over mining with bid to lock down geological data - Middle East and Africa
The plan will tighten Kinshasa's grip on the world's biggest cobalt producer and second-largest copper supplier, according to an official and seven industry sources, and could be even more significant than the country's policies that reshaped the global cobalt market, some analysts say.
Angola and DR Congo Reinforce Bilateral Cooperation
Luanda -- The Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Angola, Constantin Mayiba, highlighted on Monday in Luanda the importance of strengthening cooperation with Angola especially in the economic, commercial, and transport sectors.
Al-Monitor
Congo extends state control over mining with bid to lock down geological data
By Maxwell Akalaare AdombilaDAKAR, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo plans to tighten control over geological data that guides billions of dollars in mining exploration, potentially extending state influence over the development of future mineral discoveries.The country is accelerating geological mapping, airborne surveys and digitisation of historical archives to build a comprehensive national geological databank on its critical m…
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