DRC’s EGC Joins T.I.C. as Country Accounts for 52% of Global Tantalum Production
DRC’s EGC Joins Global Tantalum Body as Country Supplies 52% of Global Production
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) has joined the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (T.I.C.), strengthening the country’s participation in the global tantalum and niobium industry.
The move comes as the DRC continues to dominate global tantalum production. According to estimates from the US Geological Survey (USGS), the country produced approximately 1,300 tonnes of tantalum in 2025, representing about 52% of global production.
The figure places the DRC well ahead of Rwanda and Nigeria, which produced an estimated 400 tonnes and 390 tonnes respectively during the same period.
EGC announced its membership following its participation in the 67th General Assembly of the T.I.C., held in Yinchuan, China, from September 13 to 16, 2026.
The organisation brings together companies involved across the tantalum and niobium value chains, from mining to the manufacture of components such as capacitors.
According to EGC Director General Eric Kalala, the membership will allow the DRC to participate more directly in discussions shaping the future of the tantalum industry and to highlight the realities of artisanal mining in the country.
EGC’s mandate extends beyond cobalt to strategic minerals produced through artisanal mining, including coltan, which is an important source of tantalum.
The company has previously indicated plans to expand its activities into the so-called 3T minerals tin, tungsten and tantalum although the scale and timing of this expansion will depend on the availability of suitable artisanal mining areas.
For EGC, membership of the T.I.C. is also intended to support the integration of Congolese artisanal production into international supply chains, where traceability and responsible sourcing are increasingly important requirements.
However, the membership does not mean that EGC has already begun purchasing or selling coltan through the T.I.C.
The volumes of coltan that EGC could eventually collect or commercialise have not yet been announced.
The development comes as demand for traceable and responsibly sourced critical minerals continues to grow.
For the DRC, which accounts for more than half of global tantalum production, greater participation in international industry platforms could provide an opportunity to strengthen its influence over the development of the supply chain.
EGC said it intends to use its participation in the T.I.C. to strengthen dialogue with industry stakeholders and promote greater integration of Congolese artisanal production into global tantalum supply chains.
The next indicators will be the start of EGC’s coltan purchasing activities, the volumes it is able to collect and whether the company establishes commercial relationships with buyers within the T.I.C. network.
