What new minerals has the Democratic Republic of Congo added to its strategic minerals list, and what is the resulting royalty rate for these minerals?

The Democratic Republic of Congo has added lithium, tantalum, niobium, tungsten, uranium, and rare earths to its list of strategic minerals via a decree approved by the council of ministers. Strategic minerals are subject to a 10% royalty rate, up from the standard 3.5% applied to non-ferrous metals under the country’s mining code; cobalt, germanium, and coltan were already on the list.

Why did the Congolese government designate these minerals as 'strategic', and what does this reflect about the country's resource policy?

According to the meeting minutes cited in the mines ministry’s video, the objective is 'to allow our country to profit from the critical and geo-strategic character of the endowments found in its soil.' This reflects a deliberate policy shift toward capturing greater fiscal value from minerals deemed essential for global technology, defense, and energy transitions—particularly as Congo hosts one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium deposits and is the world’s biggest source of tantalum.

Congo Adds Lithium to Strategic Minerals List, Raises Royalties

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The Democratic Republic of Congo has classified lithium as a strategic mineral, increasing royalties from 3.5% to 10%. This policy change affects major developments like Zijin Mining's Manono project and KoBold Metals' exploration efforts.

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Congo Adds Lithium to Strategic Minerals List, Raises Royalties

Congo Adds Lithium to Strategic Minerals List, Raises Royalties

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