The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed its ambition to become a global hub for critical minerals, with the government highlighting record copper production and the imminent start of commercial lithium output as it opened the 21st edition of DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi.
Speaking at the official launch of the three-day event , Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba said the country was positioning itself to move beyond the traditional role of a raw mineral exporter and become a centre for mineral processing, innovation and value creation.
The annual mining conference, which runs from June 17 to 19, is the largest gathering of the mining industry in the DRC. It brings together investors, mining companies, government officials and industry stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities, technological innovation and strategic partnerships in the sector.
The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity Teddy Molendo Sakombi, the interim governor of Haut-Katanga Province, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, investors and mining operators.
Kabamba said the DRC continues to occupy a strategic position in global supply chains due to its vast reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium and other critical minerals that are increasingly important for the global energy transition and clean technology industries.
According to the minister, the country produced nearly 3.5 million tonnes of copper in 2025 while retaining its status as the world’s leading producer of cobalt.
He also announced that the DRC is expected to begin its first commercial lithium production during the second half of 2026, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to diversify its mining output and strengthen its role in the critical minerals market.
Kabamba outlined several government initiatives aimed at transforming the sector, including the modernization of mining administration, digitalization of services, expansion of geological research, improved mineral traceability systems and the development of energy infrastructure.
The minister further emphasized the importance of increasing Congolese participation in mining ventures and promoting local beneficiation of mineral resources.
He called on investors and development partners to support the country’s industrialization agenda, saying greater local processing and value addition would help ensure that the benefits of the nation’s mineral wealth contribute more directly to economic development and job creation for the Congolese people.
