DRC Mines Minister Urges Africa to Drive Mineral Beneficiation and Value Chains at Africa Mining Week 2025
The era of “feel-good” international meetings is over, declared Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, as he delivered a keynote address at the opening of Africa Mining Week 2025 in Cape Town. His message was clear: “It’s time for results.”
Africa’s Resource Power
“Africa is rising,” Kabamba stated. “We must, as a region, take control of our resources.”
He described this as part of the broader African Revolution, emphasising that mining is not just about extraction but also about infrastructure, industrialisation, and community development.
“The end goal is to create wealth and share it equitably among stakeholders. The world needs us to stand up and do this correctly.”
Beneficiation and Value Chains
Kabamba outlined the advantages of mineral beneficiation within Africa, noting the proximity to resource deposits, the continent’s young and dynamic population, and the incentives provided by new industrial development zones.
“If you are interested in critical and essential minerals,” he said, “start developing value chains in Africa.”
Exploration and AI in Mining
He stressed that exploration is the foundation of mining, highlighting that today’s investments in exploration create tomorrow’s mines.
Kabamba underscored the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in accelerating exploration through advanced data processing, including satellite-based data, to identify new mineral resources.
He also highlighted the green energy transition, warning that the world will need more copper than ever before:
“If you want the world to go green, we’ll have to mine more copper in the next 25 years than has ever been mined in history. That’s a $450-billion investment.”
Other critical minerals, including lithium and cobalt, will also play a central role. Kabamba urged African nations to identify their own priority resources and build policies and reforms to support them.
DRC’s Position in the Global Market
Kabamba stressed the DRC’s unrivalled mineral potential:
“The DRC is a country with a mineral endowment second to none. It is an attractive investment destination, provided you do your homework.”
He acknowledged that conflict had damaged parts of Africa’s mining landscape but reaffirmed his government’s commitment to turning the DRC’s resources into long-term wealth through beneficiation and exploration, noting that vast areas remain underexplored.
A Global Responsibility
Kabamba closed with a reminder of global responsibility:
“The Earth is like a spaceship, and there are no passengers—only crew members. We don’t only have rights; we have obligations. The future is here, the future is now.”
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