ERG Africa and EGC Partner to Formalise Artisanal Cobalt Mining in DRC
ERG Africa and EGC Sign MoU to Strengthen Responsible Artisanal Cobalt Mining in the DRC
On the sidelines of the Investing in African Mining Indaba, held from February 9 to 11 in Cape Town, Eurasian Resources Group (operating as ERG Africa) and Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the sustainable and responsible development of artisanal cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The agreement, signed in the presence of Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, forms part of a public-private partnership designed to formalise, professionalise and improve oversight of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).
Under the MoU, EGC will receive mining rights over a designated exploitation area owned by ERG Africa in Lualaba province.
Pilot Project to Improve Safety and Traceability
ERG Africa clarified that none of its current or future production will originate from ASM activities. However, the company is collaborating with EGC, the Cobalt for Development programme implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and local communities to support sector formalisation seen as essential to strengthening economic development and supply chain transparency.
The pilot project aims to create a structured, regulated operating model that improves working conditions for artisanal miners and reduces risks associated with informal mining, including human rights concerns.
The initiative is also expected to enhance social cohesion in surrounding communities, strengthen environmental management practices and ensure traceability and security in the cobalt supply chain, in line with the DRC government’s objectives.
Multi-Stakeholder Implementation
The signing ceremony was attended by EGC Chairperson Gino Buhendwa Ntale, EGC CEO Eric Kalala and ERG Africa CEO Davron Vakhabov.
Implementation will be coordinated with the Ministry of Mines and several regulatory bodies, including the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Markets and Strategic Substances (ARECOMS), the Service d’Assistance et d’Encadrement de l’Exploitation Minière Artisanale et à Petite Échelle (SEAMAPE), and the Centre d’Expertise d’Évaluation et de Certification (CEEC), with support from state miner Gécamines.
EGC will provide operational leadership, ERG Africa will serve as an enabling partner, and GIZ will act as technical advisor. A third-party operator will oversee day-to-day activities, and public consultations will be conducted with local communities and civil society stakeholders.
Focus on Formalisation Over Exclusion
Vakhabov said the initiative reflects ERG Africa’s view that legitimate artisanal mining plays a vital socioeconomic role in the DRC. “Supporting the formalisation of ASM within the legal framework is essential to improving safety, transparency and community well-being,” he said, adding that the agreement lays the groundwork for a scalable and potentially transformative model.
Kalala emphasized that regulating and supervising artisanal mining on a defined site would help ensure compliance with national and international standards, creating a replicable long-term framework for ethical cobalt production.
Minister Watum Kabamba underscored that the government’s strategy prioritises formalisation rather than exclusion. He noted that the approach aligns with OECD-based due diligence principles, traceability standards and responsible sourcing requirements demanded by global battery and automotive manufacturers.
He highlighted EGC’s mandate to organise artisanal cobalt production through designated ASM zones, structured cooperatives, controlled buying centres and adherence to labour and safety standards creating a verifiable supply chain for downstream buyers.
The initiative aligns with the broader policy direction of President Félix Tshisekedi and the DRC government to build a more transparent, formalised and inclusive mining sector capable of delivering sustainable economic growth.
