The Democratic Republic of the Congo is considering the development of a major new copper mining project in Kasai Oriental province through a proposed joint venture involving a subsidiary of China Railway Group Limited and the state linked mining company MIBA, in a move that could further strengthen the country’s position within the global critical minerals economy.
According to statements issued by the Congolese Ministry of Mines following discussions between Mines Minister Louis Watum and representatives of China Railway Engineering Corporation, the proposed operation is expected to produce between 200,000 and 500,000 metric tonnes of copper annually if fully developed. At its projected upper capacity, the venture would rank among the largest copper mines globally.
The announcement reflects the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s growing significance within international supply chains linked to energy transition technologies, manufacturing and industrial infrastructure. The country has, over the past decade, expanded copper production substantially and is now recognised as the world’s second largest producer after Chile. Data from the United States Geological Survey and the International Copper Study Group indicate that Congolese output continues to play a decisive role in global supply dynamics.
Unlike many of the country’s established copper operations, which are concentrated in the mineral rich Katanga region in the south east, the proposed development would be located in Kasai Oriental, a province historically associated with diamond extraction through the state mining enterprise MIBA. The project may therefore represent a broader geographical diversification of the country’s extractive sector while potentially reshaping regional economic activity within central Congo.
China remains the dominant foreign actor in Congo’s copper and cobalt industries through investments led by companies including CMOC Group, Zijin Mining and China Railway Group. Existing Chinese linked projects include Sicomines, the large scale minerals for infrastructure partnership established between Congolese state interests and Chinese firms. According to production figures published by the company, Sicomines produced close to 250,000 tonnes of copper in 2025.
The proposed Kasai Oriental project emerges at a time when international competition for access to strategic minerals has intensified. The United States has in recent years expanded engagement with Kinshasa through investment discussions and bilateral agreements focused on copper, cobalt, lithium and tantalum supply chains. In December, the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a minerals cooperation framework with Washington aimed at increasing American participation in the sector.
Analysts note that African governments are increasingly seeking to negotiate mineral partnerships that move beyond extraction alone and contribute toward infrastructure, industrialisation, employment creation and regional development. Within the Congolese context, policymakers have repeatedly emphasised the importance of ensuring that mineral wealth contributes more directly to national economic transformation and social development.
President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration has publicly supported efforts to accelerate strategic mining investments while also reviewing the governance frameworks surrounding existing agreements. No official investment value or construction timeline has yet been disclosed for the proposed Kasai Oriental mine.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains central to global conversations surrounding resource security, industrial policy and economic sovereignty. As international demand for copper continues to rise alongside the expansion of renewable energy systems, electric vehicles and digital infrastructure, the country’s mineral sector is expected to remain a focal point for both African development ambitions and global geopolitical competition.
For further background on Congo’s mining sector visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Mines, the International Copper Study Group and the United States Geological Survey.
