DRC Launches First Pilot Artisanal Mining Zone in Major Step Toward Sector Reform
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 for artisanal miners.
Addressing Longstanding Challenges
For years, the artisanal mining sector has faced persistent challenges, including illegal mineral extraction, weak production traceability, unauthorized occupation of mining concessions, frequent mining accidents, and substantial revenue losses for the state.
To address these issues, Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba made the professionalization of artisanal mining a key priority.
As part of this strategy, the government established 64 Artisanal Mining Zones (AZEs) 33 in Lualaba Province and 31 in Haut-Katanga Province to provide artisanal miners with legally designated, secure, and well-organized mining areas operating in accordance with the country’s Mining Code.
From Planning to Implementation
Following technical assessments of the designated mining zones, consultations with artisanal mining cooperatives, and the identification of suitable sites, the government has entered the implementation phase of the reform.
A specialized contractor has been appointed to develop the necessary infrastructure within the mining zones, while the allocation of mining cooperatives to the sites will take place progressively as development work advances.
More Than 5,000 Miners Relocated to the Kasulo Pilot Zone
On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the government officially launched the first operational pilot Artisanal Mining Zone at Kasulo (AZE 786) in Lualaba Province.
As part of the initiative, more than 5,000 artisanal miners who had been operating illegally at the T17 site, located within the mining concession of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), were relocated to the newly designated Kasulo zone, where they will be able to conduct their activities within a legal, safer, and better-regulated framework.
The official launch ceremony was presided over by Jean-Paul Kapongo, Director General of the Service for Assistance and Supervision of Small-Scale Mining (SAEMAPE), representing the Minister of Mines. The event was attended by Lualaba Governor Fifi Masuka Saini, provincial authorities, technical government agencies, and representatives of artisanal mining cooperatives.
One of the most significant features of the reform is the introduction of insurance coverage for artisanal miners and their dependents.
The measure is intended to strengthen social protection within the sector by providing miners and their families with greater financial security while supporting the government’s broader objective of improving working conditions and professional standards in artisanal mining.
A New Chapter for Artisanal Mining
The launch of the Kasulo pilot mining zone marks the beginning of a broader restructuring of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s artisanal mining sector.
According to the Ministry of Mines, the reform is expected to improve sector governance, strengthen the traceability of mineral production, protect mining investments, increase government revenue, and create more sustainable economic opportunities for thousands of artisanal miners.
The initiative also reflects the government’s commitment to building a modern, responsible, and inclusive mining industry capable of generating long-term economic benefits while ensuring that artisanal mining is conducted within a regulated and transparent framework.
