The Chinese mining group says its cumulative investment footprint in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached approximately US$6 billion, highlighting the growing scale of Chinese capital in the country’s copper, cobalt and lithium industries.
TIANJIN — September 12, 2026 — Chinese mining group Zijin Mining says its cumulative investments in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reached approximately US$6 billion, underscoring the growing weight of the DRC in the company’s global mining portfolio and the country’s position at the heart of the international race for strategic minerals.
The figure was presented during discussions between Zijin representatives and DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba on the sidelines of the 28th China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin.
According to Zoom Eco, Zijin used the meeting to review the progress of its major Congolese operations, including COMMUS in Lualaba Province and the Manono lithium project in Tanganyika Province.
The disclosure does not represent a new US$6 billion investment commitment. Rather, it reflects the approximate cumulative value of Zijin’s investments across its existing activities and projects in the DRC.
For Kinshasa, however, the figure illustrates the scale of capital already tied to Congo’s mineral economy and reinforces the government’s push to convert mining investment into more local processing, employment, infrastructure, technology transfer and Congolese participation in mineral value chains.
Minister Louis Watum Kabamba has used the Tianjin conference to promote a new phase in the DRC’s mining strategy: attracting investment while ensuring that a larger share of the economic value created by Congo’s resources remains inside the country.
During meetings with Chinese mining groups including Zijin and CREC Resources, discussions focused on the progress of existing projects and the creation of more durable cooperation mechanisms between investors and the Ministry of Mines.
A report from Mines.cd said the talks form part of the government’s effort to build a mining sector that is more attractive, responsible and capable of creating greater value for the DRC.
That approach is increasingly important as global demand rises for minerals used in electrification, batteries, digital infrastructure and industrial manufacturing.
MINING AND MINERALS
Zijin Reports About $6 Billion in Cumulative DRC Mining Investment
Sep 12, 2026
Sep 12, 2026
7 min read
Published
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The Chinese mining group says its cumulative investment footprint in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached approximately US$6 billion, highlighting the growing scale of Chinese capital in the country’s copper, cobalt and lithium industries.
TIANJIN — September 12, 2026 — Chinese mining group Zijin Mining says its cumulative investments in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reached approximately US$6 billion, underscoring the growing weight of the DRC in the company’s global mining portfolio and the country’s position at the heart of the international race for strategic minerals.
The figure was presented during discussions between Zijin representatives and DRC Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba on the sidelines of the 28th China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin.
According to Zoom Eco, Zijin used the meeting to review the progress of its major Congolese operations, including COMMUS in Lualaba Province and the Manono lithium project in Tanganyika Province.
The disclosure does not represent a new US$6 billion investment commitment. Rather, it reflects the approximate cumulative value of Zijin’s investments across its existing activities and projects in the DRC.
For Kinshasa, however, the figure illustrates the scale of capital already tied to Congo’s mineral economy and reinforces the government’s push to convert mining investment into more local processing, employment, infrastructure, technology transfer and Congolese participation in mineral value chains.
Minister Louis Watum Kabamba has used the Tianjin conference to promote a new phase in the DRC’s mining strategy: attracting investment while ensuring that a larger share of the economic value created by Congo’s resources remains inside the country.
During meetings with Chinese mining groups including Zijin and CREC Resources, discussions focused on the progress of existing projects and the creation of more durable cooperation mechanisms between investors and the Ministry of Mines.
A report from Mines.cd said the talks form part of the government’s effort to build a mining sector that is more attractive, responsible and capable of creating greater value for the DRC.
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That approach is increasingly important as global demand rises for minerals used in electrification, batteries, digital infrastructure and industrial manufacturing.
The DRC already occupies a central role in global copper and cobalt supply chains. The development of lithium projects such as Manono could further expand the country’s strategic position.
One of Zijin’s most important Congolese operations is La Compagnie Minière de Musonoie Global, or COMMUS, which operates the Kolwezi copper-cobalt mine in Lualaba Province.
According to Zijin Mining’s official project profile, the Kolwezi operation has annual production capacity of more than 120,000 tonnes of copper and approximately 2,000 tonnes of cobalt, placing it among the company’s major copper-producing assets.
Zijin says construction of the first phase began in 2015, with production starting in 2017, followed by the commissioning of a second-phase copper-cobalt recovery project in 2019.
Beyond mineral production, COMMUS has also supported community projects in areas surrounding the mine. In an earlier company disclosure, Zijin said COMMUS had committed funding to projects covering education, healthcare, agriculture, markets, water supply and other community infrastructure.
For the DRC, operations of this scale demonstrate how large mining investments can become platforms for wider economic activity when local procurement, employment, infrastructure and community development are integrated into project implementation.
Manono could expand Congo’s role in global lithium
Zijin’s growing presence in the DRC also extends into lithium through the Manono Lithium Project in Tanganyika Province.
The project is particularly important because lithium is a key material used in rechargeable batteries and energy-storage technologies.
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According to Zijin Mining’s official Manono project profile, Manono Lithium SAS is jointly owned by Zijin subsidiary Jinxiang Lithium, Congolese state mining company COMINIERE and the DRC state.
Zijin’s current project profile says development of the first-phase mining, processing, logistics and related facilities is progressing in stages during 2026, while additional project infrastructure continues to advance.
Once fully developed, Zijin says the project is expected to create approximately 1,500 direct jobs and more than 8,000 indirect jobs.
The company also reports community programmes around Manono, including road and education initiatives, agricultural cooperation and vocational training for local young people.
For the DRC, the significance of Manono goes beyond lithium extraction. A large-scale lithium industry could support new logistics networks, technical services, local businesses and potentially greater downstream processing if the country succeeds in attracting complementary investment.
The approximately US$6 billion cumulative investment figure comes at a time when Kinshasa is increasingly calling for a shift in the way Congo’s mining success is measured.
The government wants investment to be judged not only by the quantity of minerals produced and exported, but also by the number of Congolese jobs created, local companies integrated into supply chains, technologies transferred and minerals processed domestically.
That message featured prominently during the DRC’s participation in China Mining 2026.
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A September 11 report on the DRC delegation’s position said Minister Watum advocated a transition toward greater local transformation, qualified employment and stronger participation by Congolese businesses.
The strategy aligns with President Félix Tshisekedi’s broader objective of using the country’s natural resources as a foundation for economic transformation rather than allowing mining growth to remain disconnected from wider national development.
Zijin’s reported US$6 billion footprint demonstrates how deeply international mining capital is becoming embedded in the DRC’s strategic mineral sector.
For Congo, the opportunity now is to ensure that the next stage of mining investment produces benefits beyond extraction.
Projects such as COMMUS and Manono can support a broader ecosystem of Congolese suppliers, transport companies, engineering firms, technical contractors, training institutions and local businesses.
As global competition for copper, cobalt and lithium intensifies, the DRC has an increasingly strong platform from which to negotiate investment that combines mineral production with industrial development.
The message emerging from Tianjin is therefore larger than the US$6 billion figure itself.
Congo is attracting capital at scale. The next objective is to turn that investment into more jobs, more local value and a stronger national economy.
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