The mining industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo produces copper, diamonds, tantalum, tin, gold, and more than 63% of global cobalt production. Minerals and petroleum are central to the DRC's economy, making up more than 95% of the value of its exports.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the wealthiest countries in terms of untapped resource wealth and has an estimated US$24 trillion in untapped mineral deposits, including the world's largest reserves of coltan (where elements niobium and tantalum are extracted) and significant quantities of the world's cobalt and lithium.
Regulation and organization
Mining law in the DRC is given by the mining code, which was passed into law by the Joseph Kabila administration in 2018. This replaced the previous code passed by Kabila in 2002 near the end of the Second Congo War. The revised code was opposed by many multinational mining companies, since it introduced new taxes and removed a stability clause protecting existing investments from changes to regulations.
Industrial mines
Most large industrial mines are run by joint ventures between a foreign company and one of the DRC's state-owned (parastatal) mining companies. Large scale exploration permits (, PR) and exploitation permits (, PE) are officially granted by the DRC Mining Register (, CAMI). Such ventures typically require years of planning, and involve millions of dollars of investment. The largest financiers are the Congolese firm Rawbank, which as of 2022 had leant out $820 million to mining companies, and the Kenyan firm Equity Group Holdings.
Semi-industrial and artisanal mines
Much mining has been done in small artisanal mining operations, sometimes known as Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). These small-scale mines were unregulated, with high levels of child labor and workplace injury. Officially, artisanal mining is authorized in specially designated Artisanal Exploitation Zones (AEZ). However, in practice, these zones are comparatively small, and most artisanal mining takes place elsewhere, where it is common for artisanal miners to trespass onto industrial sites to work. Artisanal miners at a particular site are often organized into a cooperative.
Most artisanal mining is carried out with simple hand tools. Semi-industrial mining refers to operations which make use of some degree of mechanization, but with less investment than industrial operations run by large companies.
Supply chain regulation
Today, larger mining companies and non-for-profit organisations are addressing these complex issues and are continuously adopting international guidance and initiatives that helps set up regulations on a community to community basis with government support and involvement. A number of initiatives are the ESG ( Environmental, Social and Governance) and IRMA (Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance). One such globally recognised certification is the 3T iTSCi, the only widely implemented and accepted mineral traceability and due diligence system in the region for the 3T minerals – Tin, Tantalum and Tungsten, an internationally recognised certification for responsible mining and traceability under the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. Today four central African countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) provides legitimate and ethical 3T minerals. ITSCI is the only industry initiative with standards 100% aligned with the OECD Guidance Much has been done in the last 15 years, providing artisanal and small-scale miners a support network through iTSCi, to build the foundations and regulate the industry, it also offers safety to the community participants and miners, education and training, safe practices, human rights, protection to the environment for sustainable practices and manage the social aspect.
At the end of 2019 ITSCI has seen to 2000 mines, employment of around 80,000 miners, and the supply of over 2000 tonnes of tin, tantalum and tungsten minerals per month. A report had been done by Pact in 2015, detailing iTSCi's progress over the previous five years, it discusses the successes, the challenges ahead and the work yet to be done. Mining can occur within protected areas, and around endangered or threatened species. many ASM operations existed for minerals such as coltan. ASM operations employ a significant portion of the DRC's population; estimates range up to one fifth of the population, or 12.5 million people. Problems stemming from artisanal mining include disruption of families, mining-related illnesses, environmental damage, child labor, prostitution and rape.