Congo is the world’s biggest source of cobalt, which is used to make rechargeable batteries in electric cars manufactured by companies including Volkswagen AG. The country also produces more than a quarter of the world’s tantalum, used in Apple iPhones and other smartphones.
Mines Minster Martin Kabwelulu, who spoke earlier at the conference, also reiterated that the government won’t brook any opposition to an amended mining code it began implementing in June. The regulations introduced new taxes and increased royalty payments, drawing criticism from miners including Glencore Plc, Randgold Resources Ltd. and China Molybdenum Co., which have threatened to sue to protect their investments.
Nobody, whether a company, civil society group or government, should “attempt to question this text governing the mining sector,” Kabwelulu said. “All that I would allow myself to say is to invite the different stakeholders, each following his own position, to commit themselves to implementing the measures of the revised mining law.”
(By William Clowes)
