Why Washington sees the Congo as a solution for the looming critical minerals disaster

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Dear Readers, let me begin by saying that I lived and worked for almost 8 years in DRC, initially at the US Embassy and later with a major US company developing one of the world’s largest copper-cobalt mines. I actually love the Congo, and I definitely love the US – but in neither case does that love blind me to sad realities.

The December 13, 2022 US-DRC-Zambia Memorandum of Understanding recently published is unfortunately another example of the US desperately trying to solve the looming disaster confronting the electric vehicle, green energy and defense industries caused by a current and growing global shortage of vital inputs such as lithium and rare earths. Caught between dueling national defense and political priorities, the Administration continues thrashing about to find reliable sources of the above-mentioned materials without having to actually permit new mines in the US.

Sadly, DRC does not meet the definition of a reliable source – and neither does Zambia, but I will focus here on the DRC, the much larger and more richly endowed of the two countries, and the one where I can speak from experience.

The MOU says the USG will provide consultation and encouragement for the stated goal of developing within and between DRC and Zambia a battery chain from mine to pre-production. Reference also is made to helping the two countries ensure transparency and enforce anti-corruption measures with the aim of attracting support for the effort from private sector investors.

Let’s talk brass tacks.

Vital infrastructure in the DRC, especially but not only transportation and energy, destroyed during the war which ended in 2003, remains mostly in shambles. Sporadic and poorly coordinated efforts by both the Kabila and Tshikedi presidencies, undercut by pervasive corruption, have not made a dent at the national level, albeit that road transportation has improved in some regions. What this means is that the always expensive and time consuming process of building a new mine is vastly increased. Mining companies frequently have to build new roads or rebuild stretches of the national highway; construct bridges and build or rebuild electrical transmission lines and regional power plants. These efforts require cooperation with the national electrical company, various national and provincial governmental agencies and, of course, navigating the DRC’s often mysterious import regime to get the necessary equipment into the country.

The best infrastructure is in the copper-cobalt provinces in the Southeastern quadrant of Congo. However, much of the disclosed lithium and rare earth deposits (which is what we really are discussing although the document mentions only copper and cobalt) are located in the troublesome East and North of Congo, areas beset by militia groups such as M23 (recently in the news) and others running rampant. Human rights abuses continue at a sadly broad scale, and some alleged para-statal military elements have reportedly staked out some of the most lucrative potential mining sites and, if their demands to be somehow included in commercial deals are not met, could become disruptive saboteurs.

So why does Washington see Congo as a potential silver bullet? Because despite all the above, a large company with deep pockets can still build a mine 3 times more quickly than currently is possible in the US. And because Congo is stuffed with mineral riches.

Once a company has a mine, successfully exporting from these zones is complicated. DRC has one sea access, the port of Matadi in Western Congo – but commercial rail service across DRC is not reliable. A new rail connection between Southeastern Congo and Luanda in Angola could be an option when finally completed, but meanwhile, most mining products go out via Zambia and across to South Africa’s ports via road and rail. The illicit mine production, of course, tends to go out via boat or small airplane through neighboring Rwanda or Uganda.

And far from least, the Congolese government has a history of stopping companies from exporting products when there is a disagreement over monies the government believes it is owed.

Two more important points: presidential elections are coming. Historically a new president changes everything, and the incumbent currently is not favored to be reelected.

And very importantly: the end-users for Congolese minerals face rigorous certification responsibilities which they pass on to the mines operating in country. This means that mining companies need to work with specialized companies who can examine their operations and certify that the mineral production does not involve any human rights violations, especially child labor, has respected tribal rights, including full and fair prior consultation, and that all financial transactions are open and above-board. No easy task in Eastern Congo, as the history of coltan shows.

If the USG actually wants to lay the groundwork for US companies to invest and succeed in DRC, sourcing and producing the rare earths and lithium needed in the United States, then it should consider taking a page out of China’s book and making serious and durable investments in building Congo’s infrastructure. This at least might give US mines and investors a fighting chance of succeeding.

But the MOU specifically notes that none of its aspirations are tied to funding.

Washington should drop the hypocrisy and permit more mines to be built more quickly in the USA. There never will be a shorter or more secure supply chain than minerals extracted and refined in the US for production and use in the USA.

Anything else is just deluding ourselves. The clock is ticking and we need to act – even when doing so requires political courage. Perhaps especially when that is the case.

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9 responses

  1. Rare Earths Investor Avatar
    Rare Earths Investor

    “Caught between dueling national defense and political priorities, the Administration continues thrashing about to find reliable sources of the above-mentioned materials without having to actually permit new mines in the US.”

    Bingo!

    Thanks for a first-hand and knowledge-based perspective. As a RE investor, for me, you hit the nail on the head above. We all await the Biden Admins’ moves re., support (or not) of new RE mining projects in the US. This decision, either way, will be transformational (+ or -) for several N. American-based RE feedstock projects.

    As to why a politically expedient US Admin’ (may in an effort to avoid Dem/green turmoil pre-2024, due to strategically funding new RE within borders mines), would go beyond CAD or AUS borders, I’m unsure.

    However, Biden has to satisfy both defense and commercial RE value chain needs to help meet his previous election promises re., new green infrastructure, consumer products and (union) jobs. So, doing nothing re., new mining to 2024 is not an option, IMHO.

    Thanks again. GLTA REI

  2. Hugh Sharman Avatar
    Hugh Sharman

    Thank you Ms Sanderson! Most interesting and somewhat frightening!
    The prospects for delivering “net zero GHG emissions by 2050 in the Americas, let alone ESG-compliantly, look bleaker each month, particularly in view of what is most likely to happen in the US Presidential election next year, given the almost comical carelessness of Biden dealing with those Whire House documents.
    As a Brit, living in Denmark, the total absence in your excellent article of any mention of Europe or of any European country, confirms my worries for my childrens’ and grandchildrens’ economic prospects. Europe is becoming almost totally irrelevant in the World’s prospects for those critical metals. Increasingly, Europe will need to rely on what China is prepared to allow the export of in the matter of lithium, rare earths and even base metals, like copper.
    The horrible war in Ukraine, driven by the militarily incompetent, mass murdering gangster in charge at the Kremlin, threatens a sharpening Global energy crisis this year, 5 years after Global “peak” oil production in 2018, not to mention spreading hunger and US investsors’ understandable reluctance to invest $billions more into fracking.
    Sorry, everyone, for being so gloomy!

  3. Rare Earths Investor Avatar
    Rare Earths Investor

    Congratulations on the ARR N. American promotion. Please keep the articles coming. GLTA – REI

  4. JACK LIFTON Avatar
    JACK LIFTON

    Mel
    This is an outstanding holistic analysis of the situation in the DRC as it affects the plans of American policy makers. I think that the problem is, as always, the proposed scale of the project. My experience of life is that most advances are made at the margin, not by rapid innovation or wholesale disruption of norms.
    I do, however, believe that Africa is the last great frontier for critical minerals discovery and development.
    We need more people, like you, with actual experience and less of those with only academic or political experience to formulate and carry out policy making in highly technical areas such as critical minerals’ procurement.

    Jack

  5. Tracy Weslosky Avatar
    Tracy Weslosky

    I would like to personally congratulate American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR | OTCQB: ARRNF | FSE:1BHA) on their appointment of Melissa (Mel) Sanderson as the new President of North America https://bit.ly/3Jbu34Z

    And Jack, I could not —- agree with you more. Kudos to everyone who has commented, this is an outstanding piece.

  6. Russell Fryer Avatar
    Russell Fryer

    Thank you for the article. My experience is the USA, with the anti-mining billionaires, Hollywood movie stars, and rock musicians that fund the litigation against permitting, the USA has almost zero chance of becoming self sufficient in producing enough metals for domestic consumption. Pebble, Resolute, Twin Metals, Coles Hill, and more come to my mind. Hence the reason the DRC is far more attractive to the investment community. Mines get permitted and built in 1/3 the time, as you highlight. Interestingly you mentioned pervasive corruption. Judging by the recent news from the current White house inhabitant and serial diet of negative news from that sphere of influence, i postulate that the DRC government is less corrupt than the USA government. In reality, one set of corruption is about power, the other set is about capital.

  7. Eldad Avatar
    Eldad

    DRC is changing there’s some progress against corruption and régulations in Mining sector than 10 years ago.
    And about your viewpoint about the actual président is false, read Geopoll report about the elections

  8. Russell Avatar
    Russell

    And as on queue, the Biden administration bans for 20 years the mining on the Twin Metals concession. Of course this is after the Biden administration already cancelled the two federal mineral lease rights. Watch what ‘they do’, not what ‘they say’… The Biden administration’s anti-mining stance is great for the DRC and Zambia !

  9. John Mukhuta M Avatar
    John Mukhuta M

    Oui merci beaucoup pour toutes les informations nécessaires pour votre avis juste une petite préoccupation vous êtes informé que la population passe une vis de souffrance, nous demandons toujours ou Etas -Unis pour restaurer la Paix à République démocratique du Congo nous avons bien de la Paix.

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