Artisanal Copper and Cobalt Mining Resumes After Tensions

Lualaba, DRC January 15, 2026 - Artisanal mining activities in Lualaba province have resumed following recent clashes between miners and security forces, signaling a return to calm at several mining sites. According to local sources, the entire artisanal mining chain is now operational. Chinese partners, mining cooperatives, and around fifteen processing companies have resumed activities, effectively ending the previous shutdown. This resumption comes while the commission established by Minister of Mines Louis Watum Kabamba has yet to submit its final report. The commission, headed by Franck Fwamba, is tasked with verifying the legality of companies processing mineral substances from artisanal copper and cobalt mining. Several institutional actors and stakeholders in Lualaba participated in the commission’s work, including Georges Nyembo Kitungwa, provincial director of SAEMAPE, the provincial director of the Mines Division, Petit Ngombe, and the president of the association of mining cooperatives, alongside representatives of civil society, the provincial government, security services, and other relevant organizations. Following its visit to Lualaba, the commission is currently meeting in Haut-Katanga province to address similar issues related to artisanal mining there. While mining activities have resumed, sector stakeholders are awaiting the official conclusions of the mission, which could shape future regulation of artisanal mining in the provinces concerned.