DRC โConsiders Expanding ‘Strategic Minerals’ List Amidst Surging Global Demand
Kinshasa – The Democratic Republic of congo (DRC) is evaluating its list of designated “strategic โขminerals” – currently limited toโ cobalt, germanium, and columbo-tantalite (coltan) – as global demand for these โresources is projected to skyrocket in the coming decades.โ A government โขworking group, supported by the NGO Ressource Matters, is developing a national strategy to redefine which minerals warrant special attention and investment, potentiallyโ adding copper โto the list.
The current designation, initially established to mirror a “cobalt boom,” is now under scrutiny. Former Mines Minister Simon Tuma Waku arguesโฃ the existing criteria are insufficient, noting that coltan production remains largely artisanal and germanium is solely produced by the STL company. “Howโ many tonnesโฃ ofโข columbo-tantalite do we produce? For the moment, production is artisanal,” Waku stated. “These are allโ the minerals that must be considered strategic.”
The impetus for reviewโ stems from projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA)โค indicating a potential quadrupling โin global demand for key minerals by 2050. Fabien Mayani, head of theโค climate programโ at the Carter Center, anticipatesโ DRC copper production โฃcoudl need to increase from 3โ million tonnes today to 15-20 million tonnes by 2050, while cobalt demand could surge fromโฃ 200,000 tonnes to one million tonnes.
The emerging nationalโค strategy will also focus on defining investor profiles, clarifying the role of the state, and expanding quota systems beyond cobalt, according to Jimmy Munguriek, representative of Ressource Matters in the DRC. โThe Ministry of Mines has pledged to incorporateโ recommendations from civil society into the new โฃpolicy.
