Although Sino-Congolese relations dates back to the mid-1960s, China’s more palpable influence was marked by the 2008 infrastructure-for-minerals deal that attributed mining rights to China in exchange for substantial investment into the DRC’s war-torn infrastructure.

Miles Naude, General Manager, MMG, discusses potential opportunities in the DRC.

Indicated resources at the Ivorian greenfield project now total 1.2Moz.

The DRC holds half the world’s cobalt and vast copper deposits, in addition to some 1,100 other mineral resources as estimated by the World Bank.

Africa's No. 2 copper producer increased its sliding scale for royalties of 4 to 6% by 1.5 percentage points and introduced a new 10% tax when the price of copper exceeds $7,500 per tonne.

In April, the government's labour registrar said he intended to cancel registration of AMCU, one of the nation's largest and most militant unions.

The nickel mine, in Mpumalanga province, was hit by soaring costs and lower metals prices in the last few years.