US-linked mining companies are expanding their presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s critical-minerals sector, with new exploration, acquisition and logistics initiatives reflecting a broader effort by Kinshasa and Washington to develop alternative supply chains for copper, cobalt and lithium.
The activity follows the DRC-US strategic partnership on critical minerals, signed in December 2025, which aims to encourage investment, infrastructure development and greater value addition in the Congolese mining industry. The agreement comes as the DRC seeks to convert its mineral endowment into processing capacity, jobs and improved transport links rather than simply exporting raw materials.
American explorer KoBold Metals is conducting lithium exploration around Manono in Tanganyika province, using geochemical sampling and artificial-intelligence-driven modelling to identify drilling targets.
KoBold has committed more than $50 million to its Congolese program by early 2027. Its program spans 13 exploration licenses and includes airborne surveys, drilling and field sampling.
KoBold’s presence has become a test case for whether the US can build a sustained foothold in a mining sector where Chinese companies already own or operate a dominant share of production and processing assets. The US International Development Finance Corporation estimates that China-linked companies control or operate as much as 80 percent of critical-mineral production in the DRC.
Another US-linked company, Virtus Minerals, has acquired the Chemaf copper and cobalt operations, after receiving approval from the DRC mines ministry in March. Chemaf said the approval cleared the principal regulatory milestone for the ownership transition and supported continuity at sites in Lubumbashi and Kolwezi.
Virtus purchased the mines for $30 million and agreed to assume about $900 million in debt, while an Indian partner, Lloyds Metals & Energy, is expected to help restart full production in January 2027.
On August 26, the Congolese government signed a 30-year concession with Portugal’s Mota-Engil Africa for the Dilolo-Sakania railway, the DRC segment of the Lobito Corridor. The approximately 1,037-km line is intended to connect mining areas in Lualaba and Haut-Katanga to Angola’s Lobito port and overseas markets.
The corridor complements a $553 million US DFC loan for upgrading rail infrastructure from the Congolese border to Lobito. The broader project is designed to increase transport capacity, diversify export routes and reduce shipping costs and transit times for mineral cargoes.
