Q&A: Copper, Not Cobalt is the Main Focus for Chinese Mining Giant CMOC in the DR Congo

An employee of Chinese company CMOC surveys a pit in Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in the world, in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on June 17, 2023. Emmet LIVINGSTONE / AFP

As global competition for access to critical raw materials intensifies, major mining companies are increasingly central to the debate over supply chains.

The prolonged slump in prices for nickel, cobalt, and lithium has drawn scrutiny from Western policymakers and corporate leaders, who have criticized China and its companies for their significant influence in these markets. CMOC, the world’s largest cobalt producer, operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been accused by U.S. officials of overproducing cobalt to intentionally suppress prices and discourage new competitors from entering the market.

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by Christian Geraud Neema Byamungu

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