The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has entered into a partnership with Erik Prince, the former U.S. Navy SEAL and founder of the private security firm Blackwater, to bolster efforts in securing mining revenues and enhancing transparency in the country’s lucrative extractive industries. The agreement—reached several months before the JanuaryContinue Reading
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially completed the division of the Cuvette Centrale sedimentary basin into 52 new oil exploration blocks, as confirmed by the country’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, Aimé Sakombi Molendo. This move marks a significant step in expanding the nation’s energy exploration efforts. The delineation ofContinue Reading
Rome Resources has announced plans to resume drilling at its Bisie North tin project in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following a temporary suspension due to security concerns. Operations were halted on March 14, 2025, after unrest in the region, but the company now aims to restart drilling withinContinue Reading
The United States has reiterated its backing for the Lobito Corridor, a major infrastructure project linking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Angola’s Atlantic coast, aimed at enhancing regional trade and unlocking the DRC’s mineral wealth. During an April 17, 2025 visit to the DRC, U.S. Senior Advisor MassadContinue Reading
Gold prices are on track to exceed $4,000 per ounce in 2026, according to a JP Morgan forecast released on April 22, 2025. The bank cited rising U.S. recession risks and escalating trade tensions with China as key drivers behind the bullish outlook. JP Morgan expects gold to average $3,675Continue Reading
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Foreign Trade has released updated export prices for the week of April 21, 2025, revealing a mixed performance among key mining commodities. Gold and copper saw price increases following a week of declines. Gold rose to $103.32 per gram from $99.34, while copperContinue Reading
At least 10 people have been killed following the collapse of a gold mine in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local authorities confirmed. The incident occurred at the Luhihi mine in South Kivu province. Douglas Dunia Masumbuko, the M23-appointed governor of South Kivu, attributed the collapse to “uncontrolled constructionContinue Reading
At the close of the National Dialogue on Mining Governance and Conflict in the DRC and Great Lakes Region, Patient Bashombe, Chief Moderator of the Crisis Committee for Peace and Security in the DRC (CCPS-RDC), welcomed the government’s recent move to negotiate directly with the United States on responsible miningContinue Reading
Kizito Pakabomba, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Mines, welcomed the launch of the National Dialogue on Mining Governance, which began on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Organized by the Crisis Committee for Peace and Security (CCPS-RDC), a coalition of civil society organizations, the dialogue addresses mining governance amid ongoingContinue Reading
Erik Prince, the controversial founder of Blackwater and a well-known ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, has struck a deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help the country clamp down on rampant mineral smuggling and reclaim lost revenue. The agreement, signed with Congo’s Ministry of FinanceContinue Reading
