Kinshasa: The Democratic Republic of Congo is moving to strengthen state control over geological information used by mining companies as it expands efforts to identify new deposits of copper, cobalt and other critical minerals.
The government is developing a national geological databank that will bring together new geological surveys, airborne mapping and digitised historical records. The databank is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026, according to Raoul Wazenga Vitima, director general of the National Geological Survey of Congo.
Under the planned system, basic geological information will be available free of charge, while access to more sensitive information will require payment. Requests for access will be assessed against investor needs and the protection of Congo's strategic interests.
"The data generated under these programmes constitute a strategic asset of the Congolese state," Vitima said.
The policy could give the government greater influence over information used by mining companies when deciding where to search for deposits and invest in exploration.
Congo is one of the world's most important sources of critical minerals. The country was the world's leading producer of mined cobalt in 2025, with estimated production of 230,000 tonnes, according to the US Geological Survey. Its estimated cobalt reserves stood at about 6 million tonnes.
Congo was also the world's second ranked producer of mined copper in 2024.
Despite its mineral wealth, much of the country remains poorly explored. The National Geological Survey estimates that systematic exploration covers barely 20 percent of the country.
A major mapping programme is being carried out with Spain's Xcalibur. The three year project covers more than 700,000 square kilometres and uses airborne geophysics, digitised data and advanced analysis to identify potential exploration targets.
A $180 million Xcalibur contract began in January as part of the wider mapping programme. The project is one of several mapping efforts in Congo, with the results expected to contribute to the national geological databank.
Exploration activity in Congo remains concentrated in the copper and cobalt producing provinces of Lualaba and Haut Katanga. Companies invested $130.7 million in exploration in Congo in 2024, the highest amount in Africa.
The government says better geological information can help improve understanding of the country's mineral resources and support exploration in areas that have received less attention.
The new policy comes as Congo becomes increasingly important in international competition for critical minerals.
The United States and China have both increased their engagement with Kinshasa as competition grows over access to minerals used in batteries, electric vehicles, electronics and other industries.
Vitima said the new databank is not intended to favour either country. He said Congo wants to diversify its mining investor base and apply the same access rules to companies regardless of their country of origin.
The government argues that fees from some geological data products could help finance continued mapping and exploration.
However, the planned system also raises questions about transparency and access.
Congo already provides public information on mining rights and licences. The new system will therefore need to balance state control over sensitive geological information with clear and predictable access for investors and researchers.
The government has not yet announced the fee structure for the new databank. It has also not specified which categories of geological information will be considered sensitive or how requests for access will be assessed.
The policy does not mean that all geological information will be restricted. Under the planned system, basic information is expected to remain free, while more sensitive datasets will be subject to fees.
For Congo, the broader objective is to improve its understanding of a vast and still partly unexplored mineral base while giving the state greater control over information that could shape future mining investment.
The immediate focus is on building the geological databank and expanding national mapping. In the longer term, the government hopes that better information will help attract investment, support new discoveries and strengthen Congo's position in deciding how its mineral wealth is developed.