Breaking News
DRC’s SNEL Utility Faces $3 Billion Debt Crisis as Restructuring Plan Takes Shape 1 Mining in DRC Electricity 

DRC’s SNEL Utility Faces $3 Billion Debt Crisis as Restructuring Plan Takes Shape

Constance
Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) state-owned power utility, is burdened with a debt exceeding $3 billion—more than three times its 2022 sales, according to the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) recent Compact Énergétique National report. The debt is comprised of financial obligations (over 75%), commercial debt (13%), tax liabilities (11%), and social debt (0.3%). Financial debt alone surpasses $2 billion, stemming primarily from mining contracts (42%) and loans from multilateral investment banks (58%). In response, the Congolese government is committed to restructuring SNEL’s commercial and financial… Read More Here
DRC President Proposes Mineral Deal for Peace with US and Europe 2 Mining in DRC Regional conflict 

DRC President Proposes Mineral Deal for Peace with US and Europe

Constance
In a bold diplomatic move, President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reportedly proposed granting the United States and Europe access to the country’s vast mineral resources, contingent upon their intervention to end the ongoing conflict devastating the nation. On Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Tina Salama urged the US to “directly purchase critical minerals” from the DRC rather than sourcing “looted” and “smuggled” resources through Rwanda. She extended the same request to Europe and other buyers, emphasizing that the DRC is the “rightful owner” of these valuable… Read More Here
Barrick Gold Advances Drilling at Pueblo Grande Project in Dominican Republic 3 Gold Corporate News Drilling 

Barrick Gold Advances Drilling at Pueblo Grande Project in Dominican Republic

Constance
Barrick Gold (NYSE: GOLD) (TSX: ABX) has launched the next phase of drilling at the Pueblo Grande project, located adjacent to its Pueblo Viejo gold mine in the Dominican Republic. This drilling is part of an earn-in agreement with Precipitate Gold (TSXV: PRG), the project’s owner. The Phase 3 drilling program will target high-priority areas within the Pueblo Grande Norte and Pueblo Grande Sur zones. So far, Barrick has identified two early-stage targets at Pueblo Grande Norte, along with several gold-in-soil anomalies across portions of the Pueblo Grande Sur zone.… Read More Here
US Copper Tariff Threat Spurs Global Trading Surge 4 International Copper 

US Copper Tariff Threat Spurs Global Trading Surge

Constance
Top commodity traders are seizing a significant profit opportunity by shipping copper to the US from locations as far as Asia, driven by President Donald Trump’s potential import tariffs on the metal. On February 24, 2025, the gap between US copper prices and those on the global market widened sharply after Trump ordered the Commerce Department to examine possible tariffs. On February 25, New York’s Comex saw prices surge by as much as 4.9%, reaching more than $1,000 per ton above the London Metal Exchange (LME) benchmark, which rose 1.2%… Read More Here
Panama President Delays Decision on Cobre Panama Mine Amid Social Security Reform 5 International Copper 

Panama President Delays Decision on Cobre Panama Mine Amid Social Security Reform

Constance
Panama’s President, José Mulino, has stated that a decision regarding the future of the Cobre Panama mine will only be made once the country’s social security policy issue is resolved. This announcement came after a meeting with a group of suppliers, including Abel Oliveros, who were seeking clarity following the mine’s closure due to public protests. The office of the president did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Cobre Panama mine, once the largest and newest copper mine globally, has been shut down since 2023 following environmental… Read More Here
Kasaï-Central’s Mbombo Hydropower Station Construction Begins 6 Mining in DRC Electricity Hydro power plant 

Kasaï-Central’s Mbombo Hydropower Station Construction Begins

Constance
The highly anticipated Mbombo hydropower station project has officially begun. Construction was launched on February 15, 2025, by Joseph Moïse Kambulu Nkonko, governor of Kasaï-Central province, where the station will be located. The plant, situated on the Lulua River about 9.3 miles (15 km) from downtown Kananga, will have an installed capacity of 10 MW. This project is expected to bring electricity to more people in the region. However, the number of direct and indirect jobs it will create, as well as the total number of beneficiaries, has yet to… Read More Here
EU Reassesses MoU with Rwanda Amid Growing DRC Conflict 7 Mining in DRC Governance Regional conflict 

EU Reassesses MoU with Rwanda Amid Growing DRC Conflict

Constance
On February 24, 2025, the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council announced a review of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rwanda, originally signed in February 2024. This decision, made public by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, is part of broader EU efforts to press Rwanda to respect the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Kallas, who is also Vice-President of the European Commission, stated, “Consultations on defense issues with Rwanda have been suspended. There is also a political decision to apply sanctions, depending on developments on the… Read More Here
revolutionising mining operations 8 Corporate News International Sponsored Content 

revolutionising mining operations

Constance
Now more than ever, mining and mineral processing companies need to boost productivity, ensure safety, and protect the environment. ABB’s comprehensive electrification, automation, and digital solutions portfolio is ideally positioned to meet these challenges across all mining processes, from mine to port, transforming performance in a digital world. ABB Ability™ MineOptimize is a powerful framework that integrates individual mining solutions, delivering a seamless, plant-wide system that enhances efficiency and reliability throughout the entire lifecycle. “Engaging early with ABB provides immediate access to experienced engineers who specialise in designing, managing, manufacturing,… Read More Here
Anglo American Sells Nickel Business to MMG for Up to $500 Million 9 Mergers & Acquisitions International Nickel 

Anglo American Sells Nickel Business to MMG for Up to $500 Million

Constance
Anglo American has agreed to sell its nickel business to mid-tier miner MMG for up to $500 million, the companies announced last week. The deal, which includes two ferronickel operations and two greenfield projects in Brazil, aligns with Anglo American’s strategy to streamline its portfolio and focus on copper, premium iron ore, and crop nutrients. Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad stated that the agreement followed a “highly competitive process” and represented a strong outcome for shareholders, employees, and Brazilian stakeholders. The nickel assets involved in the transaction include the Barro… Read More Here
DRC Weighs Cobalt Export Quotas to Stabilize Prices 10 Mining in DRC Battery Metals Cobalt 

DRC Weighs Cobalt Export Quotas to Stabilize Prices

Constance
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is considering introducing cobalt export quotas in an effort to curb oversupply and support prices. As the world’s largest supplier of cobalt, the country is seeking to counter historically low prices caused by sluggish demand from automakers and increased copper production, which yields cobalt as a by-product. The Congolese government has discussed implementing export limits, though no final decision has been made. Earlier this week, authorities imposed a four-month export ban to address the supply glut. The ban, announced by the Authority for the… Read More Here

You have successfully subscribed to the newsletter

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

Copperbelt Katanga Mining will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.