The Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan are offering Washington very different mineral opportunities as the United States looks for new sources of critical raw materials.
In Afghanistan, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has invited U.S. companies to invest in mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade. He told the Financial Times that Afghanistan wants to replace decades of conflict with commercial cooperation and is open to American investment.
The Taliban says Afghanistan has about $1 trillion in untapped mineral resources, including copper, lithium, gold, iron ore and other strategic materials. The figure comes from geological assessments carried out by the United States and the former Afghan government. It represents an estimate of potential mineral wealth rather than the value of developed reserves.
Kabul says it has signed more than $7 billion in mining agreements since returning to power in 2021, mainly with companies from countries including China and Iran. Its approach to Washington is also tied to broader economic goals, including attracting investment and reducing the isolation created by sanctions and the lack of broad international recognition.
The situation in DRC is considerably more advanced. Kinshasa and Washington have established a strategic partnership covering critical minerals, infrastructure and other areas of economic cooperation. Under the agreement, U.S. investors receive a right of first offer on designated strategic projects and certain mineral assets, while the Congolese government has provided Washington with a list of state-owned mining assets for potential U.S. investment, including manganese, copper-cobalt, gold and lithium projects, according to Reuters.
Several commercial arrangements have followed. A U.S.-backed transaction involving Chemaf's copper and cobalt assets was approved in March 2026 and has since moved forward, while other agreements seek to establish direct supply chains linking Congolese minerals with American processors and buyers.
The difference between the two approaches is significant. DRC is offering Washington access to an established mining sector with existing production, infrastructure projects and a formal framework for U.S. investment. Afghanistan is presenting a much less developed resource base and seeking to turn geological potential into international investment.
For Washington, the two cases also reflect different levels of risk. DRC remains a challenging operating environment, but its mineral industry is already integrated into global supply chains. Afghanistan faces additional obstacles linked to sanctions, political recognition, infrastructure and the limited development of many of its deposits.
Both countries are nevertheless making the same broad pitch: their mineral resources can become a basis for closer economic ties with the United States. For DRC, that process is already moving through investment and supply-chain agreements. Afghanistan is still trying to turn its offer into a viable commercial relationship.
