Home to the eponymous Congo River, and dubbed a “geological disaster”, the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo are rich countries whose subsoils are among the most prolific on the planet. With oil, gas, gold, diamonds, cobalt and copper, the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo are some of the most mineral-rich regions in the world.

From all these deposits, we take a look back at the veins that have made the region famous and that make the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo countries that count when it comes to natural resources.

In this article, we take a look at the list of mineral resources exploited by the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and discuss their economic importance for both countries.

Oil

The world’s leading fuel, oil is mined in the Congo. Deposits can be found on its shores and in Congo Brazzaville. The oil is used as fuel for diesel engines and as a burner for certain heating appliances.
The deposits are exploited by European oil companies and provide the country with an income amounting to 75% of state revenue.

Diamonds

The Congo is a diamond-producing country. It has almost 20.5% of the world’s diamond reserves. The diamond mines are located in the Democratic Republic of Congo and are operated by the Bakwanga mining company, Société sino-congolaise Sacim. In 2014, the Democratic Republic of Congo was the world’s leading diamond exporter.

Cobalt

In 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo was the world’s second-largest cobalt producer. Production is around 90,000 tonnes, sold directly to China for battery production.

Copper

Copper is an important raw material for the DRC, and has been mined here since the 20th century. The sector generated $147 million in 2018.

Gold

Metal of triumph, which at the time of the gold standard was the most valuable material in trade, is a material that is present in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Annual production ranges from 300 kg to 20 tonnes.

Gas

A resource associated with hydrocarbon production, the Democratic Republic of Congo also produces methane gas. The Ministry of Hydrocarbons estimates that the Muanda offshore concession has gas reserves of 20 Gm3 associated with oil.
The resource is currently under discussion for exploitation by foreign companies.

Uranium

Classified as element 92 in Mendeleïev’s periodic table and the primary fuel for nuclear power plants, uranium is a material found in the Congo. Uranium reserves are mainly concentrated in the Shinkolobwe mine, in Katanga province in the south-east of the country. They are exploited by Union minière du Haut Katanga. For the record, the Congo’s uranium reserves were used in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and in 1958 the Congo also hosted Africa’s first nuclear reactor at the Centre régional d’études nucléaires in Kinshasa (it was abandoned during the civil war between the two Congos).

Silver

As the 47th element on Mendeleïev’s periodic table, the Congo also mines silver in its soil. The resource is mainly used for jewellery and goldsmithing. Like Congo’s other precious materials, Congo’s silver is mainly destined for exploitation abroad.
Congo silver is found in the subsoil beneath the surface layer of the earth. It is one of the seven sacred metals of antiquity.

Cadmium

Cadmium is the chemical element with atomic number 48, symbol Cd. The simple body cadmium is a metal found in the Congo. It is mined in the Congo. For the record, the material was pioneered around 1809 by the Swedish chemist Magnus Martin af Pontin or Magnus Martin Pontin, thanks to the first electrochemical studies. Cadmium is used in the manufacture of electronic circuits.

Tantalum

Tantalum is the chemical element with atomic number 73 and symbol Ta.
The simple body tantalum is a grey-blue transition metal that is heavy, hard but ductile, highly resistant to acid corrosion and a good conductor of heat and electricity. It is found in the mineral tantalite and in certain complex ores in oxide form, associated with niobium, notably in coltan, which is black in colour.
Anecdotally, tantalum is also the name of a son of Zeus, and is used as an antonomasia, designating a person who longs for something that is unattainable.

Tungsten

Tungsten is a chemical element with atomic number 74 and symbol W (from the German Wolfram). Its French name comes from the Swedish tung (“heavy”) and sten (“stone”), meaning “heavy stone”.
Tungsten is found in many ores, such as wolframite and scheelite. The ore is used to make light bulb filaments.

Manganese

Manganese (symbol Mn) is a chemical element with atomic number 25. The use of manganese can significantly increase a material’s tensile strength, hardness and resistance to violent impact (corrosion, non-magnetism). Manganese is notably present in train rails.