Battery Metals - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

AVZ Minerals Secures $20 Million Funding Amid Legal Dispute over Manono Lithium Project in DRC 1

AVZ Minerals Receives $20 Million from Chinese Partner as Manono Lithium Ownership Dispute Continues On January 15, 2026, Australian mining company AVZ Minerals announced it had received the full $20 million funding facility from its Chinese partner, Suzhou CATH Energy Technologies. The cash injection comes as the Manono lithium project in Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), remains mired in a legal dispute between AVZ and the Congolese government, affecting country risk and access to financing. While the announcement may appear purely mining-related, it carries significant financial implications. For projects… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals

DRC Shares Strategic Mineral Assets with US to Attract Major Investment

January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 Constance

DRC Shares State-Owned Mineral Assets with US to Boost Investment in Cobalt, Copper, Lithium The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has submitted a shortlist of state-owned mining assets to the United States, including manganese, copper-cobalt, gold, and lithium projects, in a move aimed at attracting American investment. This initiative represents the most concrete step to date by the US in its strategy to secure access to critical Congolese minerals, a key component of global supply chains for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and advanced technologies. The list follows a pact between… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Battery Metals Cobalt

Zambia Benefits from Cobalt Price Surge Amid Supply-Driven Market Shock

January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 Constance

Cobalt Prices Soar 130% in 2025: Economic Implications and Opportunities for Zambia Cobalt prices have surged by approximately 130% since early 2025, reaching over US$56,200 per tonne. This spike is primarily a supply-driven shock rather than a structural shift in the global cobalt market. The rally has been largely triggered by policy and regulatory restrictions in major producing countries, which have tightened supply in an already highly concentrated market. When supply is constrained administratively, prices often react sharply and can overshoot in the short term. From a fundamentals perspective, global… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Lithium

Chile Invests in Direct Lithium Extraction and Rare Earth Recovery Research

January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 Constance

Chile Awards $5.8 Million to Advance Direct Lithium Extraction and Rare Earth Recovery Technologies Chile’s state-owned development agency, Corfo, has awarded up to $5.8 million in funding to two research and development projects focused on direct lithium extraction (DLE) and rare earth element recovery, as part of efforts to strengthen mining innovation and create new, high-value business lines. The first project will receive up to $1.9 million over a period of up to two years to identify, assess, and validate DLE technologies suitable for brines from Chile’s salt flats and… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt

DRC Cobalt Prices Stall at $52,100 per Ton as Global Demand Outlook Remains Uncertain

January 7, 2026January 7, 2026 Constance

Cobalt Prices Stabilize After Rapid December Surge Amid Market Uncertainty After a period of rapid growth through December 22, 2025, cobalt prices have stabilized on the international market. Having climbed from USD 50,958 to over USD 52,000 per ton in just a few weeks, the price of this strategic mineral—of which the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the world’s leading producer—has now plateaued. Data for January 5–10, 2026, indicate cobalt export prices at USD 52,107 per ton, slightly below the previous week’s USD 52,111, reflecting a marginal decline. This… Read More Here

Battery Metals Lithium Mining in DRC

Resource Matters Warns of Weak Lithium Permitting Oversight in the DRC

January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 Constance

Resource Matters Criticizes DRC Authorities Over Lack of Transparency in Lithium Mining Permits In a white paper published in December 2025 on value creation in strategic minerals such as copper, cobalt, and lithium, the NGO Resource Matters highlights significant shortcomings in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) lithium permitting process. The organization, which advocates for transparency and good governance in the extractive sector, points to a lack of rigor by Congolese authorities in granting exploitation permits for lithium, a critical mineral for the global energy transition. According to Resource Matters,… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals

Vingroup Advances Green Mobility Project in Kinshasa with VinFast EV Initiative

January 3, 2026January 4, 2026 Constance

Vingroup Plans 120,000 Electric Vehicles in Kinshasa, Launching Sustainable Urban Transport Ecosystem Vietnam’s Vingroup has provided new details on its planned green mobility project in Kinshasa, following a preliminary agreement signed with the city in October 2025. In a statement on December 29, Vingroup said it signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding on December 24 with Kinshasa’s Provincial Ministry of Transport and Urban Mobility and Congolese company Exposure Sarl. The memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation to develop a modern, sustainable, and accessible urban transport system. Through its electric vehicle… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt

DRC Extends Cobalt Export Quotas to March 2026 Amid Logistical Challenges

January 3, 2026January 3, 2026 Constance

DRC Extends Cobalt Export Quotas to Support Producers After 2025 Export Delays The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has extended the validity of cobalt export quotas for the last quarter of 2025 until March 31, 2026. The announcement was made by the Congolese regulator in a press release dated December 28, 2025. The extension comes in response to difficulties experienced by producers during the resumption of exports following the February 2025 embargo on cobalt, a strategic metal for the electric vehicle battery industry. Although the ban was… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt

DRC Encouraged to Build Regional and Global Partnerships to Strengthen Cobalt Value Addition

January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 Constance

DRC Cobalt Sector: Resource Matters Urges Strategic SADC Partnerships for Electric Vehicle Battery Production To accelerate the development of its cobalt sector and achieve local processing into precursors for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is being encouraged to establish strategic partnerships, particularly with member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This recommendation is outlined in a white paper published by the NGO Resource Matters on increasing value addition to Congolese copper, cobalt, and lithium prior to export. According to Resource Matters, such… Read More Here

International Battery Metals

China Launches First High-Capacity All-Solid-State Battery Production Line

December 28, 2025December 28, 2025 Constance

China Advances Electric Vehicle Technology with Breakthrough All-Solid-State Battery Production China has completed construction of its first high-capacity all-solid-state battery production line, marking a significant milestone toward the commercialization of next-generation battery technology widely regarded as critical to the future of electric vehicles. The production line was developed by state-owned automaker GAC Group and is currently undergoing small-scale trial production. It is the first facility in China capable of manufacturing automotive-grade all-solid-state batteries with capacities exceeding 60 amp-hours. All-solid-state batteries differ from conventional lithium-ion batteries by replacing liquid electrolytes with… Read More Here