Copper Intelligence Expands DRC Exploration Push into Kasaï-Central
Copper Intelligence Targets Kasaï-Central as DRC Exploration Portfolio Expands
US-based mining company Copper Intelligence is expanding its exploration footprint in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with plans to begin mining exploration activities in Kasaï-Central Province.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Bosco Kanku, met Kasaï-Central Governor Joseph-Moïse Kambulu N’Nkoko in Kananga on August 31 to discuss potential investment opportunities in the province’s mining sector.
Following the meeting, Kanku said the company had received authorisation from the governor to begin exploration activities, with geologists already deployed on the ground.
Copper Intelligence has not yet disclosed the specific areas it intends to explore, the permits involved, the amount of capital planned for the programme or a detailed exploration timetable.
Although copper remains the company’s primary focus, Copper Intelligence is assessing opportunities across a broader range of minerals, including gold, lithium, nickel, tin, tantalum and tungsten.
Kasaï-Central offers broader mineral potential
The company’s move into Kasaï-Central comes as the province seeks to attract greater investment into its largely underdeveloped mineral resources.
Beyond its established diamond industry, Kasaï-Central has significant potential for a range of base and battery metals.
At the 2024 DRC-China Economic Forum, the Congolese government highlighted the Nkonko and Lutshatsha nickel-chromium projects in the province.
Data presented by the Ministry of Mines indicated approximately 800 million tonnes of nickel ore grading 1.10% nickel, alongside an estimated 13 million tonnes of chromium ore grading 3.5%, underscoring the province’s potential to develop a more diversified mining sector.
Building a wider DRC portfolio
Copper Intelligence’s entry into Kasaï-Central forms part of a broader strategy to establish a diversified exploration portfolio across the DRC.
In Haut-Katanga, the company announced the acquisition of exploration permit PR-15880, covering the Kitungu project in Kasenga territory. The licence covers approximately 764.55 hectares.
Conceptual modelling based on nine historical drill holes has identified an estimated 27 million tonnes of potentially mineralised material grading 1.54% copper, equivalent to approximately 416,000 tonnes of contained copper.
However, the company has stressed that this estimate is conceptual and does not constitute a Mineral Resource Estimate.
In North Kivu, Copper Intelligence is continuing exploration at its Butembo copper project.
Initial drilling results released in August confirmed the presence of copper mineralisation, although grades varied across different locations and depths.
The company is also evaluating opportunities to recover copper from historical mine waste. In May, Copper Intelligence signed a preliminary agreement with Canadian company CoTec Holdings to explore the potential establishment of a joint venture focused on identifying and reprocessing legacy copper tailings in the DRC.
The proposed tailings projects remain subject to technical and legal due diligence before any investment decisions are made.
Exploration-first strategy
Copper Intelligence’s approach in Kasaï-Central will initially focus on exploration rather than immediate mine development or production.
The company’s growing presence across several provinces reflects its strategy of identifying prospective mineral assets and advancing them through exploration and technical evaluation before committing to development.
With its latest move into Kasaï-Central, Copper Intelligence is positioning itself across several of the DRC’s emerging and established mineral regions, while maintaining a particular focus on copper and other critical minerals.
The success of the Kasaï-Central programme will depend on the results of geological work, the identification of commercially viable deposits and the company’s ability to secure the necessary permits and investment for subsequent stages of exploration and development.
