Glencore and Gécamines Sign Strategic KCC Mining Agreement to Boost DRC Copper Output to 300,000 Tonnes per Year
A significant new phase is unfolding for copper production in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On Wednesday, 18 February 2026, Swiss mining major Glencore signed a landmark agreement with state-owned Gécamines concerning Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), one of the country’s most strategic mining operations.
Long-Term Security for a Strategic Asset
At the core of the agreement is a comprehensive package of long-term mining leases and titles. These provide KCC with the legal certainty and operational visibility required to advance large-scale development plans.
The arrangement effectively strengthens the long-term future of the Kolwezi-based complex and is expected to extend the life of the operation into the 2040s.
The agreement also authorizes the expansion of tailings storage facilities a critical component for sustaining higher production levels and ensuring environmental compliance as output increases.
Targeting 300,000 Tonnes per Year
Operational optimization forms another key pillar of the agreement. Plans include improved recovery of reserves within the KOV and T17 zones, two high-potential ore bodies that remain partially underexploited.
The stated objective is to ultimately reach approximately 300,000 tonnes of copper per annum. At that level, KCC would rank among Africa’s leading copper producers, reinforcing the DRC’s status as a global heavyweight in the red metal market.
This expansion comes at a time of accelerating global copper demand, driven by electrification, renewable energy deployment, electric vehicle production, and grid infrastructure upgrades.
Recalibrating the Partnership with Gécamines
A strategically important feature of the agreement is that Gécamines retains rights to the extracted minerals. This provision aligns with Kinshasa’s broader policy direction of strengthening national oversight and value capture from strategic mineral resources.
The structure reflects an evolving balance between international operators and state participation in the DRC’s mining sector, where resource sovereignty has become an increasingly central theme.
Mark Davis, CEO of Glencore’s Copper Africa operations, emphasized the transformative nature of the deal, stating that the agreement will unlock the full potential of KCC by improving efficiency across the mine, processing facilities, and supporting infrastructure.
Final Administrative Steps
Completion of the agreement remains subject to the formal registration of the mining leases in the coming months. While procedural in nature, this step is essential to fully secure the legal framework underpinning the transaction.
If finalized as expected, the agreement could mark a decisive turning point for Congolese copper production consolidating the DRC’s position as a critical pillar of global copper supply at a time when access to strategic minerals is becoming increasingly central to the energy transition.
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