Belgium Declines to Share Colonial-Era DRC Mineral Records with U.S. Firm

February 16, 2026 - The Belgian government has refused to grant U.S.-based mining company KoBold Metals access to colonial-era archives detailing mineral deposits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Belgium, which ruled the DRC from 1885 to 1960, gathered extensive geological data during the colonial period to support mining operations. Much of that information has since been preserved in museums and state archives. Two years ago, following an agreement with the European Union, Belgian authorities began compiling these historical records into a digital platform intended to be accessible, under certain conditions, to researchers, private entities, and the Congolese government. Agreements with Kinshasa In July 2025, KoBold’s DRC representative, Benjamin Katabuka, and Congo’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Kizito Pakabomba, signed an agreement authorizing a company delegation to travel to Brussels to request copies of the documents. A month later, in August 2025, the DRC government and KoBold concluded another agreement granting the company rights to explore and mine lithium, cobalt, and copper across a 1,600-square-kilometer area. Seeking to better pinpoint mineral locations, KoBold requested participation in Belgium’s digitization process. However, Belgian authorities rejected the request. Legal and Policy Constraints Officials at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren - which houses many Africa-related archives - stated that private companies cannot be granted privileged access to the records. “We cannot give all the ancient documents to a private sector,” said museum director Bart Ouvry. Belgium’s Minister for Science Policy, Vanessa Matz, argued that granting exclusive access to a foreign company would contravene Belgian and European legal frameworks. Strategic Minerals at Stake KoBold Metals is pursuing mining operations in the DRC under broader U.S.-Congo cooperation initiatives. The targeted minerals - particularly lithium, cobalt, and copper - are critical components in the production of electric vehicle batteries and advanced electronic devices, placing the dispute within the wider geopolitical competition over strategic resources. Social and Health