US mining technology company KoBold Metals has begun what it describes as the largest lithium exploration campaign ever undertaken in the Democratic Republic of Congo, committing around $50m to the project through early 2027.
The company, backed by investors including Bill Gates and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, has secured 13 licences in southeastern Congo to explore for lithium and other minerals, according to Bloomberg News on Tuesday. Around $20m has already been spent acquiring the permits, CEO Kurt House told the newswire in an interview.
“We’re kicking off what is an extremely extensive and expensive exploration campaign,” House said. Beyond its licensed areas, KoBold plans aerial surveys across a broader 30,000 square kilometre zone, deploying artificial intelligence to identify and assess prospective geology, said Bloomberg News.
The campaign begins four months after the US and Congolese governments signed a minerals partnership granting American investors preferential access to reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium and tantalum. The Trump administration has made securing critical mineral supply chains a national priority as Washington seeks to reduce dependence on China across key industrial sectors.
Despite Congo’s status as the world’s top cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, the country remains significantly underexplored relative to its geological potential, House said.
KoBold has separately expressed interest in developing the large lithium deposit near the southeastern town of Manono, but has been unable to reach agreement with Australian firm AVZ Minerals, which is contesting Congo’s cancellation of its mining rights. China’s Zijin Mining Group plans to open a major lithium mine in the same region later this year.
KoBold is also developing the Mingomba copper mine in Zambia.
