TFM Calls for Stronger Energy-Mining-Academia Collaboration to Support DRC’s Mining Growth
Tenke Fungurume Mining Urges Integrated Energy Strategy to Sustain DRC Mining Expansion
Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) has called for closer cooperation between the government, mining companies, and academic institutions to address the energy challenges facing the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining sector.
Speaking on June 19, 2026, during a panel discussion on energy constraints in mining, TFM’s Director of External Relations, Hugo Sinza, stressed that reliable energy supply is essential for sustainable industrial development.
“Without energy, there is no sustainable mining industry,” Sinza said, noting that mining operations depend entirely on stable and sufficient power supply.
He emphasized that the sector’s growth potential highlights both the DRC’s mineral wealth and the urgent need for increased investment in energy generation and infrastructure.
According to him, mining productivity cannot be sustained without long-term energy planning and coordination.
Sinza also called for integrated planning between public authorities, private mining operators, and energy producers to ensure infrastructure development keeps pace with rising production demands.
“We are not about opposing the public and private sectors. We must plan together to anticipate future infrastructure needs,” he said.
Beyond infrastructure, he highlighted the importance of skills development, urging greater investment in training engineers, researchers, and technicians to support the sector’s transformation.
“Energy security is not only about megawatts. It is also about our ability to manage systems, plan ahead, and adapt to the future,” he added, pointing to the growing importance of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in industrial operations.
Sinza further called for a stronger partnership between the state, industry, and universities to align energy development with economic growth objectives, warning that delays in action could hinder the sector’s progress.
He also acknowledged the DRC’s strong performance in global copper and cobalt production, while stressing that this success should be matched by stronger energy infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability.
However, he warned that frequent power outages continue to disrupt mining operations, leading to significant financial losses.
“Every power outage, even a short one, can take hours to recover from in a mining operation. This results in losses for companies, the state, and local communities,” he explained.
TFM maintains that accelerating energy development is essential for transforming the DRC’s mineral wealth into lasting economic value and maintaining its position in global critical mineral supply chains.
