The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could soon be home to one
of the world’s largest copper mines. The Congolese government is
currently reviewing a major project put forward by the Chinese giant China
Railway Resources Universal Limited (CRRU), which aims to launch large
scale copper production in the hitherto unspoilt region of Grand Kasaï.
The project, which was officially presented to the authorities in Kinshasa
on Thursday 7 May, involves the mining of deposits in the territories of
Miabi and Kabeya-Kamwanga, in Kasaï-Oriental. According to estimates
provided by the Ministry of Mines, the future mine could produce between
200,000 and 500,000 tonnes of copper per year. At its peak, this volume
would represent nearly 15% of last year’s national production, which now
stands at 3.4 million tonnes, thereby consolidating the country’s position as
the world’s second-largest producer behind Chile.
The project is being led by China Railway Resources Universal Limited, a
subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned group CREC, in a joint venture with
Minière de Bakwanga (Miba), a long-established Congolese diamond
mining company. The Chinese firm is no newcomer to the Congolese
scene, as it is already heavily involved in the operation of the Sicomines
mega-project, a cornerstone of Sino-Congolese cooperation.
In addition to mining operations, the investment package includes a
significant energy component involving the construction of a hybrid power
station combining hydroelectricity and solar power, with an estimated
capacity of between 250 and 500 megawatts. This infrastructure forms part
of Kinshasa’s stated strategy, which links the granting of mining licences to
the development of national infrastructure. The Minister for Mines, Louis
Watum Kabamba, has confirmed the commitment at the highest level of
government, stating that the project is being “closely monitored” by
President Félix Tshisekedi, who wishes to see it “implemented as soon as
possible”. Whilst Chinese officials have highlighted the potential creation of
thousands of direct and indirect jobs, no implementation timetable or
details regarding the local processing of the ore have yet been provided.
This announcement comes at a time when control over the DRC’s
resources has become a central issue in the strategic rivalry between
Beijing and Washington. The DRC is now at the heart of the global energy
transition, and competition for its copper, cobalt and lithium deposits
continues to intensify. Whilst the Congolese government is attempting to
diversify its partners, notably through an agreement signed with the United
States in December 2025 to guarantee privileged access to critical
minerals, the reality on the ground shows overwhelming Chinese
dominance over mining operations.
Chinese groups already control five of the country’s ten largest mines, and
Congolese copper production, boosted by Asian investment, is growing at
a staggering rate. Against this backdrop of fierce competition for supplies,
the French Observatory of Mineral Resources (OFREMI) notes that the
DRC ‘is in the process of redrawing the global map of copper’. The new
Grand Kasaï project, by shifting the mining centre of gravity away from
Katanga, could thus further strengthen China’s influence over the most
strategic sector of the Congolese economy
