Chinese firm CMOC Group Ltd. has announced a $1.08 billion expansion of the KFM copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), strengthening China’s control over Africa’s mineral supply chains and advancing its influence in the global energy transition.
The new investment highlights Beijing’s continued push to secure essential raw materials needed for industrial production and green-energy technologies, even as global supply disruptions increase pressure on the copper market.
The KFM expansion is set to begin its second phase in 2027, adding approximately 100,000 metric tons of copper output annually. The mine’s first phase reached full capacity in 2023, according to Business Insider Africa
CMOC Group Ltd., a Chinese multinational mining and resources company headquartered in Luoyang, holds a 71.25 percent stake in the KFM mine through its Hong Kong-based subsidiary. The company said the expansion would strengthen its production capacity and reinforce its position in global copper and cobalt supply chains.
Beyond KFM, CMOC also operates the Tenke Fungurume mine, one of the DRC’s largest copper and cobalt producers.
The company explained that its expanding presence in Congo is part of a wider strategy to secure critical minerals essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy, while navigating risks from commodity price volatility and political uncertainty.
Don’t Miss This:
UN Report Identifies Russian-Linked Firm In Rwanda In Congo’s Illegal Mineral Trade
Globally, CMOC’s portfolio extends beyond Africa to include the Northparkes copper and gold mine in Australia and niobium and phosphate operations in Brazil, which supply key materials for agriculture and advanced manufacturing industries.
The investment comes amid growing concerns about a global copper shortage, following supply disruptions such as the suspension of Freeport’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia.
The newly announced KFM expansion could help stabilize supply and sustain industrial production as demand for low-carbon technologies continues to rise.
Meanwhile, several U.S. mining companies are exploring opportunities in the DRC to secure access to critical raw materials vital for clean energy and advanced manufacturing, signaling heightened global interest in the region.
China’s investment surge in the DRC reflects a broader trend of renewed engagement across Africa. In the first half of 2025, China signed $30.5 billion worth of construction contracts across the continent, nearly five times the value recorded in the same period in 2024, according to research from Griffith University and the Green Finance & Development Center.
Recent projects include a $450 million steel plant in Nigeria, solar manufacturing facilities in Ethiopia, and expanded mining operations in Botswana and Sierra Leone. China has also backed Uganda’s $1.7 billion hydropower plant and pledged another $1.7 billion for renewable-energy and industrial projects in Ethiopia.
CMOC’s latest investment underscores China’s growing role in shaping Africa’s energy and industrial future, reinforcing partnerships rooted in resource cooperation and infrastructure development.
Don’t Miss This:
Congo To Lift Cobalt Export Ban And Introduce Quotas Starting October 16
Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
