The United States has supported American company Virtus Minerals in developing two significant cobalt and copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a move described as a major victory against China's control of the rare earth minerals market. This initiative marks the first U.S. rare earth minerals acquisition in the African nation since President Trump announced the Washington Accord in December.
Historically, China has held a dominant position in the extraction and processing of these vital metals. The Strategic Studies Institute reports that 80% of the world's cobalt is produced in the DRC, with China controlling 80% of that supply. Cobalt and copper are both listed by the U.S. government as critical minerals, essential for a wide range of applications including electric vehicles, mobile phones, and military hardware.
During a White House signing ceremony in December, President Trump emphasized the administration's commitment to curbing Chinese mineral dominance and fostering a significant impact for American mining companies in the DRC. The Washington Accord also aims to de-escalate conflict between the DRC and Rwandan-backed forces, though tensions persist in the eastern part of the country.
Virtus Minerals, with U.S. backing, asserts it is the first U.S.-owned operator in the DRC in over a decade. The company's investment in Chemaf, a local producer, involves two mining operations: Étoile in Lubumbashi and Mutoshi in Kolwezi. These mines are projected to produce a combined 75,000 tonnes of copper and 20,000 tonnes of cobalt annually, with processing plants expected to be operational next year. The extracted minerals will be exported to the West via the Lobito Corridor, a rail route supported by a $5 billion U.S. investment commitment aimed at establishing a secure supply chain for the U.S. and its allies.
Frans Cronje, president of the Yorktown Foundation for Freedom, highlighted the significance of the Virtus projects, stating they demonstrate a more assertive U.S. effort to compete with China for Africa's critical mineral resources. He noted that China has established substantial dominance in Africa's resource sector over the past two decades, and U.S.-backed initiatives like this signal a shift towards more direct engagement.
A State Department spokesperson affirmed the administration's commitment to supporting U.S. companies operating in the DRC. "This acquisition serves as an initial flagship U.S. investment in the DRC, and sends a clear signal that the U.S. private sector interest is real and will catalyze further investment in alignment with the U.S.-DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement," the spokesperson said, adding that increased U.S. investment will create jobs and foster skills development.
Virtus Minerals holds 56 mining licenses in the DRC. Phillip Braun, CEO of Virtus Minerals and chairman of Chemaf, stated the company's immediate goal is to bring the Étoile and Mutoshi plants to full production, after which they will explore other resources covered by Chemaf's permits, including tungsten. Braun credited the growing partnership between the U.S. and the DRC for making these developments possible.
Cronje further commented that a more active U.S. presence in these supply chains would rebalance influence on the continent, with implications for resource access and broader geopolitical alignments in increasingly contested regions.