The lithium mine Zijin Mining Group Co. plans to open this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to be one of the world’s biggest suppliers of the battery metal.The Chinese company – which has grown at breakneck speed to become a top producer of copper and gold – has been developing the Manono lithium project in southeastern Congo since it secured the prized deposit in 2023.

[SMM Aluminum Express News] Guinea, the world’s largest bauxite producer, is in discussions with miners to introduce controls on the volume of bauxite ore supplied to the market in order to protect prices. Mines and Geology Minister Bouna Sylla said the government is considering measures to regulate bauxite production and prevent a sharp price slump, which would hurt company revenues and government tax income. If implemented, Guinea would join the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe in restricting exports of key minerals, most of which are currently destined for China.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is reportedly ready to approve the sale of Chemaf to US-based Virtus Minerals, advancing a strategic minerals partnership between Washington and the African nation. Congo’s mines minister, Louis Watum, notified Virtus last week that the government intends to clear the takeover, according to sources cited by Bloomberg News, marking a key step in a deal involving one of the country’s most contested mining assets.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has opened its first gold refining facility, marking a significant step in the country’s effort to capture greater value from its vast mineral wealth.

Zambia is courting global investors, including from the United States, as it aims to more than triple its copper output to 3 million metric tons by 2031, its mines minister said on Tuesday.Africa’s second-largest copper producer after Democratic Republic of Congo is seen as one of the countries Washington is keen to partner with as the US escalates efforts to loosen China’s grip on materials crucial to advanced manufacturing.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated again recently, as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify, drawing renewed global attention to energy transportation security in the Gulf region.Given the high level of uncertainty surrounding the development of the situation, market risks are clearly skewed to the upside. This article provides a brief analysis of how the current conflict may affect the copper market going forward.

According to Bloomberg, flooding caused a key bridge south of the Zambian border to collapse, severing the Democratic Republic of Congo’s main copper export corridor to the Kasumbalesa border crossing and disrupting shipments from the world’s second-largest copper producer. The Zambia Revenue Authority said in a notice on Sunday that traffic to and from the Kasumbalesa border post has been affected due to the bridge damage, and transporters are advised to use alternative routes. According to SMM, this corridor handles approximately one-third of the DRC’s copper cathode exports. Currently, outbound shipments from the southern DRC copper-cobalt belt are being rerouted via the Jiayou–Sakania and Mokambo border crossings.

(Bloomberg) -- Flooding severed the Democratic Republic of Congo’s main copper-export corridor after a key bridge collapsed just south of the Zambian border, disrupting shipments from the world’s second-largest producer of the metal. Transporters should use alternative routes, as the damage has affected traffic flow to and from the Kasumbalesa border with Zambia, the Zambia Revenue Authority said in a notice on Sunday.

SMM Morning Meeting Minutes: LME copper opened overnight at $13,300/mt and touched a high of the same level, initially fluctuating downward before the center of copper prices shifted straight down, then experiencing wide swings and probing as low as $12,787/mt, ultimately closing at $12,855/mt, down 2.9%, with trading volume reaching 22,100 lots and open interest at 322,000 lots, down 3,871 lots from the previous session, overall reflecting long liquidation. The most-traded SHFE copper contract 2603 opened overnight at 102,030 yuan/mt, initially climbing to 102,350 yuan/mt before fluctuating rangebound, then the center of copper prices pulled back straight to touch a low of 99,400 yuan/mt, ultimately closing at 100,030 yuan/mt, down 2.58%, with trading volume reaching 57,700 lots and open interest at 143,000 lots, down 4,515 lots from the previous session, overall reflecting long liquidation.

Energy and commodities trader Mercuria recently announced the completion of its first copper and cobalt transaction with the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) state-owned cobalt company, EGC, marking a significant step forward in their cooperation in the field of critical metals. The deal was reached against the backdrop of the DRC government's introduction of a cobalt export quota system last year, while also requiring the implementation of EGC's mineral supply chain management and responsible sourcing standards in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector. Under the arrangement, the copper cathodes involved in the transaction will be shipped to markets such as the US, the UAE, or Saudi Arabia.