DRC Ministry of Mines Visits China to Take Advantage of Window of Opportunity
On 24 March 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo Minister of Mines, Louis Kabamba, visited the China Minmetals Corporation (CMC) headquarters in Beijing. CMC is the majority shareholder in MinMetals Group in DRC and operates the Kinsevere copper-cobalt mine, located 30 kilometers north of Lubumbashi in the Northern Katanga region.
The two sides met to explore the deepening of cooperation. Minister Kabamba outlined DRC’s strategic priorities for the mining sector, including geological surveys, #LocalBeneficiation, local job creation and greater Congolese participation in the mining value chain.
The cooperation started back in 2022, and MMG has injected nearly USD 600 million in the project so far. In 2025, the annual output reached about 65,000 tonnes of copper cathode and about 2,000 tonnes of cobalt.
However, MMG suspended the production of cobalt in December 2024 due to ‘unfavorable market conditions.‘ Then, the DRC Government also introduced an export ban on cobalt in a bid to rein in oversupply.
CMC Deputy GM XU Jiqing summarized the global operations of CMC. In 2025, its subsidiary MMG produced a total of 380,000 tonnes of copper from its operations worldwide, including Africa, Australia and South America. Currently, the Las Bambas mine in Peru is its largest asset.
On 25 March 2026, the DRC Delegation met with China Molybdenum Corporation (CMOC). CMOC GM Charles Peng reiterated his company’s commitment to align with DRC’s national strategy and regulatory framework. CMOC has two key assets in DRC: the Tenke Fungurume Mine (TFM) and the Kisanfu Mine (KFM).
In particular, the DRC Government stressed the following:
- Conform to the mining code and related legal framework
- Respect the ESG standards
- Exert CSR to improve the livelihoods of neighboring communities
- Support the development of power infrastructure
- Collaborate in the structuring of artisanal mining
Given the boom in #copper demand driven by the construction of AI data centers and the accelerated adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV), all sides believe in reinforcing the partnership to take full advantage of the window of opportunity. In that regard, the DRC Government welcomes more prospecting to uncover new mines, as the Chinese companies are mulling expanding their operations in DRC.