KEY POINTS
- Congo has launched a nationwide airborne geological mapping programme.
- Geological coverage is expected to rise from 22.27% to 46.1%.
- The government hopes better data will reduce exploration risks and attract investment.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a nationwide geological mapping programme as the government seeks to better understand its mineral wealth, attract investment and strengthen its control over the mining sector.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has begun a major airborne geological survey designed to improve knowledge of the country’s vast mineral resources and reduce the risks faced by companies exploring for new deposits.
The programme, known as PC2G-RDC, is being implemented by the National Geological Service of the Congo (SGNC), with technical support from Spanish geophysics company Xcalibur.
The project will use high-resolution airborne geophysical surveys to study the country’s subsurface and identify areas with potential for minerals.
Authorities say the initiative will also improve scientific understanding of Congo’s geology and provide more reliable information for future exploration.
Congo is already a major force in the global mining industry. It is the world’s largest producer of cobalt and Africa’s leading copper producer, both of which are critical to industries such as electric vehicles, batteries, electronics and renewable energy.
However, the government says much of the country remains poorly explored, with less than 10% of its territory having undergone thorough geological exploration.
Survey to cover four regions
The new mapping programme will initially focus on Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu and Greater Kasai.
The work will build on geological mapping already completed in Greater Katanga, one of Congo’s most important mining regions.
Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba said the programme would significantly expand the country’s geoscientific coverage, increasing it from 22.27% to 46.1%.
The expansion is expected to give the government and mining companies a clearer picture of areas that could contain commercially valuable deposits.
Better geological data could also encourage exploration in regions that have historically attracted limited investment because of uncertainty over the location and quality of mineral deposits.
The geological survey is also part of a broader effort by the Congolese government to strengthen its role in the mining industry.
Authorities have been seeking a larger share of revenues generated from existing mining operations while increasing state control over geological information that could determine where future mineral discoveries are made.
SGNC Director General Raoul Wazenga Vitima said control of a country’s mineral resources begins long before extraction takes place.
