US open to exploring critical minerals | Mining News

US open to exploring critical minerals – Mining News

The US State Department has expressed curiosity in critical minerals partnerships with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), recognising the DRC’s important share of the world’s critical minerals, reported Reuters.

The US has been working to increase non-public sector investment within the DRC to develop mining assets responsibly and transparently, aligning with the America First Agenda.

The announcement comes after Andre Wameso, Deputy Chief of Staff to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, visited Washington earlier this month for talks on a potential partnership.

Meanwhile, the Congolese Government is looking for to diversify partnerships, with Government Spokesman Patrick Muyaya confirming ongoing exchanges with the US.

A lobbyist for Congolese Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi additionally reached out to US officers, proposing investment in Congo’s mineral assets in exchange for regional stability assist, the report mentioned.

This initiative, nonetheless, was not formally sanctioned by the Congolese Government.

Several initiatives are reportedly underneath method, though they’re nonetheless within the early phases, in accordance to sources from Congo’s Presidency, its Ministry of Mines and Washington.

A deliberate assembly between a Congolese delegation and the US House Foreign Affairs Committee was cancelled at short discover.

Jason Stearns, a Congo professional at Simon Fraser University in Canada, famous that Congo’s mineral provide chains are at present dominated by China, presenting a problem for US engagement.

Stearns added that the US lacks state-owned corporations like these in China, and no non-public US mining corporations at present operate in Congo.

Therefore, the Congolese could need to discover more complicated methods to interact with the US.

In a associated development, the DRC quickly halted cobalt exports for a minimal of 4 months owing to a market surplus.

The prohibition got here into impact on 22 February, as said by the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets.

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