KoBold Metals granted lithium exploration rights in Congo
KoBold Metals, the mineral explorer backed by US billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has secured seven new permits to search for lithium and other critical minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The licences were granted just weeks after the Berkeley, California-based company signed an exploration pact with the Congolese government, part of a broader push to attract American investment into the country’s mining sector.
Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, the second-largest source of copper, and hosts vast reserves of lithium and tantalum.
Focus on Manono
The newly awarded permits are located in southeastern Congo near the Manono lithium project, which KoBold has ambitions to develop into a major mine. The rights allow the company to prospect for lithium, manganese, tin, and tantalum in the region.
KoBold has notified authorities in Kinshasa that it will first need to resolve a dispute with Australia’s AVZ Minerals Ltd., which has challenged Congo’s termination of its rights to Manono. AVZ has launched arbitration proceedings and is seeking an acceptable settlement or buyout.
KoBold’s shareholders also include BHP Group, Andreesen Horowitz and Equinor ASA.
The company’s push into Congo comes as Washington works to reduce reliance on China for key minerals needed for clean energy and electric vehicles.
KoBold says it plans to deploy its AI-driven exploration technology in Manono, funding digital geological mapping, hiring local staff, and supporting infrastructure improvements in host communities.
(With files from Bloomberg)
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8 Comments
Makelele René Ndisa
The Eastern part of the DRC, especially the North and South Kivu, is obviously known to be under M23 occupation. Apparently they are targeting the whole Eastern party of the country, including the Katanga region. The recent peace agreement in Katar doesn’t seem to take effect on ground. What actions have been taken to enforce peace and the return to stability to ensure that the investors can have some peace of mind and the people can go back to their normal lives?
John Mikhael
We need the Australian Government to step in and fight the Australia based AVZ company and its shareholders as we risk the big boys taking over by making backdoor deal with DRC government.
Jon Wilson
Big typo!! Should read “fight for” not “fight the”.
Rod Rawling
Please don’t exploit the local workforce or pollute the waterways or ruin the landscape…thankyou.
Chris Almond
I hope there will be much better treatment of the Congolese owners of the land and workers in these mines compared to the historic exploitation and oppression by Belgium, successive DrC governments and more recently Chinese mining companies.
MUKENDI kabongo
Pourriez-vous nous envoyer le formulaire de demande d’agrément de la sous-traitance en Manono RDC
Ajay Rohilla
Equally important is replenishment of mother earth.
John
This is what Congolese people have been waiting for,. This is what’s gonna make DRcongo great as well as President Donald J.Trump made the USA great again in his First term and now in his second term,He’s encouraging president Tshisekedi to do same thing by signing à biggest deal ever made in the history because Chinese fake deal was a big lie!