Category: Artisanal mining

DRC Launches First Pilot Artisanal Mining Zone to Formalize Mining and Improve Mineral Traceability The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched its first pilot Artisanal Mining Zone (AZE), marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to formalize and professionalize the country’s artisanal mining sector. The initiative is part of the government’s broader mining reform agenda, implemented under the leadership of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, with the Ministry of Mines spearheading efforts to improve governance, enhance mineral traceability, and create safer working conditions… Read More Here

Democratic Republic of Congo to Train 20,000 Armed Guards to Secure Mines and Improve Mineral Traceability The Democratic Republic of Congo is in discussions with a private company to train more than 20,000-armed guards dedicated to securing mining sites across the country, in a major initiative aimed at improving oversight, reducing illegal extraction, and strengthening the reputation of its mining industry. According to the head of the General Inspectorate of Mines, the proposed force will be responsible for protecting large-scale industrial mining operations, supporting the formalisation of artisanal mining activities,… Read More Here

DRC Introduces New Insurance and Universal Health Coverage Program for Artisanal Miners The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has launched a new social protection programme for artisanal mining operators organised in cooperatives, marking a major step toward improving welfare and safety standards in the country’s informal mining sector. The initiative was introduced by Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba through Ministerial Decree No. 00278/CAB.MIN/MINES/01/2026, which establishes and regulates a new insurance scheme known as “Group Protection,” alongside universal health coverage for artisanal miners. The reform is designed to strengthen social… Read More Here

DRC NGO Urges Swift Prosecution Over Alleged Illegal Mining on Metalkol SA Concession in Lualaba The NGO JUSTICIA Asbl has urged Congolese authorities to maintain and intensify judicial and administrative proceedings against individuals and groups accused of illegal mining activities on part of the Metalkol SA concession in Lualaba province. In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Kinshasa, the human rights and governance organization welcomed what it described as the dismantling of a “mafia-like network” allegedly operating under the guise of a dredging operation on the Musonoi… Read More Here

Kolwezi: Mining Cooperatives Elect Representatives to New Artisanal Mining Governance Bodies Mining cooperatives in Lualaba province are heading to the polls this Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Kolwezi to elect their representatives to two newly established bodies under the Ministry of Mines. The announcement was made by the Service for Assistance and Support of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (SAEMAPE). In an official statement, SAEMAPE/Lualaba Provincial Director Georges Nyembo Kitungwa invited all cooperatives to participate in the vote, which is aimed at strengthening their role in the governance of the artisanal… Read More Here

DR Congo Suspends Mining Activities in Mwenga and Shabunda Over Illegal Operations The Congolese government has suspended all mining activities in the territories of Mwenga and Shabunda in South Kivu Province following growing concerns over illegal mining operations and security threats linked to the sector. The decision was announced in a decree signed on May 22, 2026, in Kinshasa by Minister of Mines Louis Kabamba Watum. Under the order, all mining activities in the two territories will remain suspended for a period of three months. According to the Ministry of… Read More Here

DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba Pushes Mining Sector Reforms During Strategic Visit to Maniema Province After visits to the provinces of Ituri and Bas-Uélé, the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Louis Watum Kabamba, concluded his tour of eastern DRC with a strategic stop in Maniema Province on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The visit forms part of a broader government initiative aimed at transforming the mining sector into a more structured, transparent, and development-oriented pillar of the national economy. During his mission, the minister held extensive… Read More Here