Chinese mining companies dominate the Congo’s critical mineral production, but a nasty dispute at a cobalt mine shows the country is starting to drive a harder bargain.
When Dr. Sage Ngoie Mbayo arrived at the gate of the Tenke-Fungurume Mine (TFM), on June 10, he only had one goal: to smooth things over.
The mine is one of the crown jewels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s impressive mineral treasure chest. It alone contributes 14 percent of the world's supply of cobalt, a critical input to electric vehicle batteries. But since August 2021, TFM has been locked in something of a tug-of-war between the Congolese government and a state-backed Chinese company.
Data: CMOC 2021 Annual Report
Congolese state-owned mining company Gécamines, which owns 20 percent of TFM, claims that its Chinese partner, China Molybdenum (CMOC), intentionally underestimated the reserves at TFM and has been under-reporting export values — allegedly cheating both Gécamines and the government out of $7.6 billion in royalties and interest.
Ngoie — who has a Ph.D. in geohydrology and extensive mine experience, including at TFM — was appoint
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