Illegal Mining Pressure Intensifies in DRC as ERG Reports Major Losses and Security Failures
ERG accuses organized illegal mining networks of costing up to $2bn annually in DRC copper and cobalt concessions
Pressure is escalating across mining concessions in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) alleges that large-scale illegal mining networks are operating across several of its copper and cobalt sites in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces.
According to an internal report cited by industry sources, ERG’s subsidiaries including Comide, Swanmines, and Boss Mining estimate annual losses approaching $2 billion due to repeated incursions by artisanal and semi-organised miners into industrial concessions.
The report describes illegal extraction as increasingly systematic, with ore reportedly leaving affected sites in large volumes.
At peak levels between 2022 and 2023, an estimated several hundred truckloads of material per day were allegedly transported out of concession areas outside official channels.
ERG characterises the activity not as informal artisanal mining, but as structured “industrial-scale looting,” involving coordinated networks responsible for extraction, logistics, and mineral distribution.
Beyond corporate losses, the situation is also seen as a significant drain on public revenue in a country where copper and cobalt exports are central to the national economy and global energy transition supply chains.
The internal assessment also raises concerns about possible facilitation or tolerance of illegal mining by elements within the security apparatus, including members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).
However, no official investigations or judicial findings have confirmed these allegations.
Local mining cooperatives are also referenced in the report as potential participants in disputed extraction activities within industrial zones.
In addition, several Chinese-linked operators are mentioned in connection with alleged involvement in financing, transport, or processing of illegally sourced minerals, though no formal charges or official statements have been made public.
ERG says it has repeatedly alerted Congolese authorities, including the presidency and the General Inspectorate of Mines, calling for stronger enforcement and enhanced security around strategic mining sites.
The company argues that existing measures have so far failed to contain the scale of illegal activity.
Despite multiple complaints filed through judicial and administrative channels, ERG maintains that responses have been insufficient to address the ongoing losses and security risks.
In response to growing concerns across the sector, Kinshasa has announced plans to establish a specialised mining security brigade by the end of 2026, tasked with protecting strategic mining assets and combating mineral fraud.
The situation highlights persistent governance and security challenges in the DRC’s mining sector at a time of rising global demand for copper and cobalt, underscoring the importance of securing industrial concessions for both economic stability and supply chain reliability.
