Constance - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Written by Constance

Mining in DRC Artisanal mining Regional conflict

Armed Presence Disrupts Artisanal Mining in Walikale

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

Artisanal mining operations in Walikale territory, North Kivu, are facing serious disruptions due to the involvement of soldiers and members of the Wazalendo militia, despite clear prohibitions under the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining code. Civil society groups and traditional chiefs have raised concerns over the growing presence of armed actors at mining sites, particularly in the Utunda group of the Wanianga sector. These groups report that soldiers and militias are not just providing protection—they are actively participating in the artisanal extraction of gold and cassiterite by digging wells and… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals Lithium

Manono’s Lithium Dream Stalled Amid Rising Local Frustration

May 25, 2025May 25, 2025 Constance

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to one of the world’s largest lithium deposits, a resource that is increasingly vital for the global shift to renewable energy. In the town of Manono, located in the Tanganyika province in the southeast of the country, an estimated 6.6 million tonnes of lithium lie beneath the soil. This mineral is essential for the production of rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electronic devices. Despite the promise of economic transformation and international interest—including from the United States—progress on the Manono lithium… Read More Here

International Battery Metals

Friedland’s Ivanhoe Atlantic Pushes for U.S. Critical Mineral Status for High-Grade Iron Ore

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

Mining billionaire Robert Friedland’s new company, Ivanhoe Atlantic, is actively lobbying the U.S. government to include high-grade iron ore on its official list of critical minerals — a move aimed at aligning with national defense priorities and reducing reliance on foreign steel inputs. The campaign supports the company’s flagship project in Guinea, the Nimba iron ore mine, which is set to begin production of 2 to 5 million tonnes of premium iron ore later this year, with output expected to ramp up to 25 million tonnes annually within seven years.… Read More Here

Lithium Battery Metals International

Zimbabwe Lithium Miners Urge Delay of Export Tax Until Refining Plants Are Operational

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

Lithium producers in Zimbabwe are calling on the government to postpone a proposed 5% export tax on lithium concentrate until domestic refining facilities are fully operational. The Zimbabwe Lithium Exporters (ZLE), an industry body that includes major players like Chengxin Lithium Group, has formally requested the deferral from the Ministries of Mines and Finance. The group is asking for a two-and-a-half-year grace period, allowing time for the construction and commissioning of plants that will produce higher-value lithium sulfate, expected to be completed by 2027. Zimbabwe has rapidly become a key… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Corporate News Diamond

Botswana Experts Support MIBA Revival After Positive Site Assessment in Kasai Oriental

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

A team of experts from Botswana has completed a positive assessment of the Bakwanga Mining Company (MIBA) site in Kasai Oriental, paving the way for a structured support program aimed at reviving the struggling state-owned diamond company. “We welcomed the Botswanan delegation not as investors, but as technical partners tasked with evaluating our existing resources and helping us develop a recovery program for MIBA,” said Joëlle Kabena, Coordinator of the State Financial Project Management Unit for the Revival of MIBA (UGP-MIBA), following the evaluation meeting. Kabena noted that the team’s… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Corporate News Diamond

DRC Grants SACIM Three-Month Sales Moratorium Amid Financial Crisis in Kasai

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

Anhui Congo Mining Investment Company (SACIM), a diamond producer based in Kasai Oriental, has been granted a three-month moratorium allowing it to freely sell its production. The temporary measure is intended to help the company recover from prolonged financial hardship, including unpaid wages and heavy tax obligations. The announcement was made on Tuesday, May 20, in Tshibwe (Miabi territory) by Aristote Mutombo, the presidential envoy for Greater Kasai. He conveyed President Félix Tshisekedi’s decision to repeal Ministerial Order No. 00049/CAB.MIN/MINES/01/2022, issued by former Mines Minister Antoinette Samba Kalambay. The regulation… Read More Here

Mining in DRC

CENCO Backs DRC–U.S. Strategic Minerals Partnership as Path to National Development

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

At a press briefing held on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Interdiocesan Center in Kinshasa, Monsignor Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), addressed the growing partnership between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United States, particularly concerning the exploitation of strategic minerals such as tin, tungsten, and tantalum—collectively known as the “3Ts.” Monsignor Nshole emphasized the positive potential of this partnership for the Congolese people. “Like many of our compatriots, we hold strong hopes that the negotiations surrounding our natural resources—especially… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Emeralds

Grizzly Mining’s Dubai Auction Nets $24.8M from Zambian Emeralds

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025 Constance

Grizzly Mining, a leading Zambian rough emerald producer, has announced revenue of $24.8 million from its most recent international emerald auction held in Dubai this past May. The auction featured medium- to high-grade rough emeralds sourced from the company’s flagship Grizzly Emerald Mine in Zambia. Of the 112 lots offered, 105 were sold—representing a 93.75% success rate—amounting to a total of 1.49 million carats sold. A standout of the event was the sale of the remarkable 6,620-carat Pilala stone, a vivid green emerald with exceptional transparency and intense fluorescent colour.… Read More Here

Mining in DRC

US-Brokered Peace Deal May Open Legal Trade Route for Congolese Minerals via Rwanda

May 22, 2025May 22, 2025 Constance

Congolese minerals such as tungsten, tantalum, and tin—long at the center of tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda—could soon be exported legally to Rwanda for processing under a US-backed peace initiative, according to three sources cited by Reuters. Kinshasa has accused Kigali for years of illegally exploiting its mineral wealth, alleging that tens of millions of dollars’ worth of minerals are smuggled across the border each month. These accusations are closely tied to the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have escalated hostilities… Read More Here

International Energy Oil & Gas Uranium

Namibia Eyes Investment Rebound on Uranium, Oil, and Green Hydrogen Projects

May 22, 2025May 22, 2025 Constance

Namibia expects a strong rebound in foreign direct investment (FDI) this year following a 25% decline in 2024, driven by the restart of uranium operations and increased activity in oil exploration and green hydrogen projects. The southern African country is actively positioning itself to attract renewed capital in these strategic sectors, according to Francois van Schalkwyk of the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board. “Several international oil companies are continuing to invest not only in exploration but also in supporting services for future development,” he noted. “We anticipate that at… Read More Here