The race for critical minerals just moved from “Diplomacy” to “Deal Flow.”
Following the US-brokered peace pact between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, Kinshasa has formally submitted a vetted shortlist of state-owned mining assets to Washington. This marks the most tangible progress yet in the US effort to secure alternative supply chains for battery metals.
⛏️ THE ASSETS ON OFFER: According to senior officials, the shortlist includes uncommitted licenses from state-owned giants:
- Gecamines: The Mutoshi copper-cobalt project and a germanium-processing venture.
- Cominiere: Lithium licenses (critical for EV batteries).
- Kisenge: Manganese, gold, and cassiterite assets.
- Sokimo: Four gold permits.
- Sakima: Coltan, gold, and wolframite assets.
🌍 THE GEOPOLITICAL PLAY: This is a direct counter to China’s dominance.
- Current State: China processes 47-87% of the world’s strategic minerals and its firms (CMOC, Zijin) control major Congolese output.
- The Shift: The US is leveraging diplomatic influence—including the $553 million Lobito Corridor rail upgrade—to open doors for Western capital in a region historically difficult for US miners to navigate.
🏛️ THE NEXT STEPS: A Joint Steering Committee (featuring the DRC Finance & Mining Ministers) has been established to facilitate these deals. The assets have undergone “several rounds of internal vetting” to ensure they are legally clean and ready for investment.
💡 ANALYST TAKEAWAY: For US investors, the “risk premium” in the DRC has always been high. However, with the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) backing infrastructure like Lobito and the White House directly brokering access, the political risk cover is stronger than it has been in decades. The question now is: will US private capital bite, or will the assets eventually drift back to bidders with higher risk appetites?
👇 Mining Investors: Does US government backing significantly de-risk DRC assets for your investment committee?