DRC to expand exploration, mining of metals for green-energy transition

Exploration for nickel and chrome will begin ‘in the next few days’ in DR Congo’s southern, diamond-rich Kasai region, Congo’s president has said, adding that his country wants to position itself as a key source of the two strategically important metals in the green energy transition.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) wants to position itself as a key source of metals in the green energy transition, and that will mean new exploration for nickel and chrome, according to DRC’s President, Felix Tshisekedi. Speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town on Tuesday February 7, Tshisekedi said his country is also looking for partners to invest in cobalt, tantalum, tin and lithium processing. “The goal is to discover new deposits that can be the subject of calls for bids, with a view to concluding mutually profitable public-private partnerships,” also said.

The shift to a clean energy system is set to drive a huge increase in the requirements for these minerals, meaning that the energy sector is emerging as a major force in mineral markets. From the mid-2010s, as energy transitions gather pace, clean energy technologies are becoming the fastest-growing segment of demand. As a result, copper on the London Metal Exchange is up more than 40% since the end of 2019, while nickel surged more than 90%. DRC provides more than two-thirds of the key battery mineral cobalt and is tied with Peru as the world’s second-biggest copper producer, according to the US Geological Survey. Despite its mineral riches, DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world, and miners will be expected to ensure Congolese people also benefit, Tshisekedi said.