U.S. Push for DRC’s Strategic Minerals Faces Security and Investment Hurdles 1 Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Gold Lithium 

U.S. Push for DRC’s Strategic Minerals Faces Security and Investment Hurdles

US Push for Congo’s Critical Minerals Faces Delays as Conflict and China’s Dominance Complicate Investment The United States has made gradual progress in its effort to reduce China’s dominance over the Democratic Republic of Congo’s strategic mineral sector. However, ongoing conflict, contested mining licenses, and strict compliance requirements continue to slow Washington’s advance into a region where Chinese companies remain deeply entrenched. The Democratic Republic of Congo holds some of the world’s most valuable mineral resources, including the largest global supply of cobalt as well as significant deposits of copper… Read More Here
Glencore Secures $115 Million Cobalt Supply for U.S. Stockpile Amid Global Shortages 2 International Cobalt Corporate News 

Glencore Secures $115 Million Cobalt Supply for U.S. Stockpile Amid Global Shortages

Glencore to Supply 2,000 Tons of Cobalt to U.S. National Stockpile as Prices Surge 160% Glencore has reached an agreement to purchase nearly 2,000 metric tons of cobalt valued at approximately $115 million at current market prices from industry veteran Rami Weisfisch, according to sources familiar with the deal. The cobalt, essential for defense and military applications, is expected to be shipped to the United States for inclusion in its planned strategic stockpile. Strategic Context: Reducing Dependence on China The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has been actively pursuing… Read More Here
DRC’s Cobalt Quotas Reshape the Global Critical Metals Market 3 Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt 

DRC’s Cobalt Quotas Reshape the Global Critical Metals Market

DRC Cobalt Export Quotas Trigger Global Supply Shock, Expose China’s Strategic Vulnerability The decision by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to impose strict export quotas on cobalt beginning at the end of 2025 marks one of the most consequential interventions ever seen in the critical minerals market. What was framed domestically as a sovereignty-driven reform has rapidly evolved into a global supply shock one that has revealed structural weaknesses in China’s refining dominance and forced a reassessment of supply-chain security across the energy transition ecosystem. A Sovereign Policy… Read More Here
DRC Advances Battery Minerals Strategy Through Partnership Talks with ITC 4 Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt Lithium 

DRC Advances Battery Minerals Strategy Through Partnership Talks with ITC

DR Congo Seeks ITC Support to Boost Battery Mineral Processing and Integrate into Global EV Supply Chain Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka convened a high-level working session with representatives of the Congolese Battery Council (CCB) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) to structure a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capacity to process minerals used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The initiative signaled Kinshasa’s determination to accelerate industrialization and move up the global battery value chain. Technical Support to Target Global Markets Under the proposed… Read More Here
DRC, Belgium, and KoBold Metals in Dispute Over Colonial Mineral Archives 5 Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt Copper Corporate News Lithium 

DRC, Belgium, and KoBold Metals in Dispute Over Colonial Mineral Archives

Cobalt and Lithium Data Sparks Tension: DRC Seeks KoBold Metals Collaboration as Belgium Restricts Archive Access An economic and strategic dispute is unfolding between Belgium, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the American company KoBold Metals, centering on colonial geological archives housed at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren. These archives contain detailed data on the DRC’s mineral resources, including cobalt, lithium, and copper now critical to global supply chains. For Kinshasa, these documents are not just historical records; they represent strategic informational capital essential for attracting investment and optimizing resource… Read More Here
Lobito Atlantic Railway Launches First Ethical Copper and Cobalt Shipment from DRC to Global Markets 6 Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt Transport and Logistics 

Lobito Atlantic Railway Launches First Ethical Copper and Cobalt Shipment from DRC to Global Markets

Lobito Atlantic Railway Facilitates First Copper and Cobalt Shipment from DRC to Global Markets In a landmark milestone for the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) and Trafigura announced the first delivery of copper and cobalt along the corridor linking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Angola’s deep-water port of Lobito. EGC, a state-owned entity responsible for purchasing cobalt from artisanal producers in the DRC, has partnered with Trafigura, which markets EGC-supplied cobalt globally. EGC CEO Eric Kalala highlighted that using the LAR demonstrates that ethical,… Read More Here
US Firm Virtus Minerals to Acquire Chemaf as Washington Strengthens Critical Minerals Strategy in the DRC 7 Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Mergers & Acquisitions 

US Firm Virtus Minerals to Acquire Chemaf as Washington Strengthens Critical Minerals Strategy in the DRC

US-Backed Firm Virtus Minerals Moves to Acquire Congolese Copper and Cobalt Producer Chemaf A US-based company led by former military and intelligence officials has agreed to acquire Chemaf SA, a financially distressed Congolese copper and cobalt producer that has become central to Washington’s strategy to secure critical mineral supply chains. Virtus Minerals Inc. has reached an agreement to purchase Chemaf for an undisclosed amount and to assume all of the company’s liabilities, including significant debt. The transaction is expected to be accompanied by capital investments totaling up to US$750 million,… Read More Here
U.S. Expands Strategic Footprint in Africa’s Critical Minerals Through Glencore Deal 8 Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Corporate News Mergers & Acquisitions 

U.S. Expands Strategic Footprint in Africa’s Critical Minerals Through Glencore Deal

U.S.-Backed Orion Consortium Acquires 40% Stake in Glencore’s DRC Copper and Cobalt Assets The United States is strengthening its presence in Africa’s critical minerals sector after Glencore PLC agreed to sell a 40% stake in its Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) copper and cobalt operations to the U.S.-backed Orion Critical Minerals Consortium (Orion CMC). The transaction, announced on Tuesday, values the assets at approximately $9 billion, including debt, and covers Glencore’s Mutanda Mining (MUMI) and Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) operations. These projects rank among the largest Western-owned producers of cobalt… Read More Here
DRC Copper and Cobalt Prices Edge Lower as Global Market Pressures Persist 9 Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Economy 

DRC Copper and Cobalt Prices Edge Lower as Global Market Pressures Persist

Copper and Cobalt Prices in DRC Expected to Dip Slightly Amid Global Market Uncertainty Prices of copper and cobalt two of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s most important mineral exports are expected to record modest declines on international markets during the week of January 26–31, 2026, according to projections from the National Market Commission under the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Copper is forecast to trade at about $13,031 per tonne, down from $13,179 the previous week, representing a decline of roughly $148 per tonne. Cobalt prices are expected to remain… Read More Here
Tin Prices Surge in DRC Exports While Copper and Cobalt Face Slight Declines 10 Tin Cobalt Copper Mining in DRC 

Tin Prices Surge in DRC Exports While Copper and Cobalt Face Slight Declines

DRC Mining Exports Show Divergent Trends as Tin Surges While Copper and Cobalt Dip The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) mining export market is showing mixed trends for the week of January 26–31, 2026, with tin prices rising sharply while copper and cobalt experience modest declines. According to projections from the National Market Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, tin is expected to reach $52,383 per ton, up $5,703 from $46,680 the previous week. This represents one of the largest recent weekly increases for the strategic metal, driven by… Read More Here

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