The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the world’s top producer of cobalt, loses nearly $1 billion every year to illegal trade, exacerbating conflict and deepening poverty, according to political analyst Oluwole Ojewale from the Institute for Security Studies. The True Cost of the DRC’s Cobalt Boom The DRC supplies 70%Continue Reading
The Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has raised its base interest rate by 0.5 percentage points, moving from 14% to 14.5%, in a strategic effort to stabilize the Kwacha and control inflation. Why the Rate Hike? The decision, announced after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held from February 10-11, alignsContinue Reading
The Central Bank of Congo (BCC) has released its latest economic outlook for the period of January 31 to February 7, 2025, revealing notable shifts in key commodity prices that reflect global market forces and geopolitical developments. Copper Surges Amid Trade Policy Adjustments Copper prices climbed to $9,412.75 per tonne,Continue Reading
HARARE – Chinese investments in Zimbabwe have not improved the lives of ordinary citizens, the United States ambassador to Harare Pamela Marie Tremont said, highlighting rising poverty and worsening inequalities despite significant financial inflows. “The number of people living below the poverty line has doubled since 2011 despite the significantContinue Reading
AIM-listed Shuka Minerals is making bold strides toward acquiring and reviving the Kabwe zinc mine in Zambia, backed by a newly appointed board steering the process forward. In a February 14 update, CEO Richard Lloyd reaffirmed the company’s commitment to unlocking Kabwe’s full potential. He highlighted strong backing from potentialContinue Reading
Global miner and commodity trader Glencore has confirmed that it turned down an unsolicited bid for its operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the end of last year. “Glencore has not engaged any banks or advisors and is not running a sale process for its operations inContinue Reading
Zambia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Frank Tayali, has highlighted the Lobito Corridor Project as a game-changing initiative that will establish Zambia as a leading hub for electric vehicle (EV) battery production and assembly. Speaking at the Lobito Corridor Stakeholder Discussion during the recent Mining Indaba in South Africa,Continue Reading
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has classified certain mining sites in Masisi (North Kivu) and Kalehe (South Kivu) as “Red” zones, citing security concerns and the illicit trade of minerals. The Minister of Mines, Kizito Pakabombe, signed the ministerial order on February 12, 2025, placing restrictions on these areasContinue Reading
HARARE – Zimbabwe earned US$209 million from lithium exports in the first nine months of 2023, nearly treble last year’s earnings, Mines Minister Zhemu Soda said on Wednesday, as Chinese-driven mining and processing projects take off. Africa’s top lithium producer, Zimbabwe hopes demand for the mineral, which is key forContinue Reading
The scramble for Africa’s vast copper resources took a surprising turn this week as talks between the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) International Resources Holding (IRH) and Vedanta Resources Ltd. collapsed. The breakdown in negotiations cantered around Vedanta’s prized Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Zambia, a copper behemoth that has attractedContinue Reading
