Diamond
In the DRC, artisanal miners play a major role in diamond extraction. Diamonds are mainly mined in the former provinces of Kasai Oriental and Kasai Central. They are also found in the North and South Kivu, Maniema and former Katanga provinces (World Bank 2008). Diamond production is dominated by artisanal mining and according to official data, in 2017, the diamond artisanal production accounted for 81% of the country’s production, representing 15.4 million carats. The same year, about 15 million carats were officially exported, generating USD 147 million (CTCPM 2018, 16). However, due to unregulated activity in the informal sector, these figures could be underestimated.
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Gold
The DRC is one of the top-ten ASM gold producers globally. Most of the DRC’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) production takes place in the Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North and South Kivu, Maniema and Tanganyika provinces. The German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) identified four geological gold regions. The most exploited gold reserves are located in the “Kibaran Gold Province”, overlapping North Kivu, South Kivu and the eastern part of Maniema (Neuman et al. 2019). The second largest region is the Kilo-Moto area (“Northern Gold Province”) located in Ituri and Haut-Uélé provinces, home to rich deposits (World Bank 2008). The “Panafrican Gold Province” stretches along the eastern border of South Kivu and finally, the “Lubero Gold Province” is located near Lake Edwards in North Kivu and straddles the Ugandan border (Neuman et al. 2019). Until the 2014 boom of the industrial gold production, ASGM accounted for most of the Congolese gold output (Yager 2019).
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Copper and Cobalt
Despite a highly developed industrial mining sector, the Katangese Copper Belt still counts numerous artisanal miners involved in both copper and cobalt production. Cobalt production is mainly concentrated in the provinces of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba. The cities of Kolwezi, Likasi and Lubumbashi constitute important hubs for artisanal miners’ production. Large-scale mining companies extract approximately 70% to 85% of cobalt along the copper belt, artisanal miners the other 15 to 30% (BGR 2019, 4; OECD 2019, 11). This is down from 2009 when Congolese cobalt production from artisanal mining accounted for 60% to 90% of the country production (Vanbrabant et al. 2009 cited by Tsurukawa et al., 2011, 43).
A significant number of LSM companies source from ASM, and this cobalt is blended with their production. Not only commercially, but also physically there is an extensive interaction between ASM and LSM: most of cobalt artisanal mining takes place in private concessions where the LSM is actively operating. Therefore, it is difficult to make a clear distinction between LSM and ASM production in the supply chain (OECD 2019).
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3T minerals (Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten)
Eastern DRC is also home to large reserves of 3T minerals, which constitute the livelihoods of many artisanal miners.
Cassiterite (Tin) has been exploited since 1910 (Global Witness 2004) and is primarily mined in the provinces of North and South Kivu, Maniema, and the former Katanga Province. In these areas, IPIS counted almost 760 ASM cassiterite sites employing over 94,900 people in 2019 (IPIS Webmap 2020). In 2017, the cassiterite artisanal production almost reached 19 tons. According to official data 12.5 tons were exported, generating USD 87 million (CTCPM 2018, 54).
Coltan (Tantalum) was discovered in the Kivu region in 1910 along with cassiterite (tin ore) (Global Witness 2004) and is artisanally mined by about 25,682 people in the provinces of North and South Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut-Lomami and Maniema (IPIS Webmap, 2020). According to official data, artisanal miners produced 2,174 tons of coltan in 2017 from which 59% originated from North Kivu and 24% from Tanganyika (CTCPM 2018, 50). 1,358 tons were officially exported, generating USD 34 million (CTCPM 2018, 55). Coltan constitutes the most valuable 3T mineral on a per-unit base albeit its highly volatile prices and somewhat opaque market structure.
Wolframite (Tungsten) is exploited in North and South Kivu, Maniema and Tanganyika provinces. Official records indicate that the ASM sector produced 251 tons of wolframite in 2017 – 47% from South Kivu, 32% from North Kivu and 21% from Maniema – (CTCPM 2018, 52) 197 tons were exported, generating USD 1.9 million. More than 7,651 artisanal miners are employed in 83 sites (IPIS Webmap, 2020).
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Tourmaline
Finally, Tourmaline emerged as a significant gemstone in DRC since 2012. Deposits are located in Masisi and Kalehe territories (along the border of North and South Kivu provinces) and in the eastern Manono territory (Tanganyika province) (Weyns, Hoex, and Matthysen 2016). Since 2012, a rise in gemstone prices has reportedly seen the tourmaline sector attracting thousands of artisanal miners during boom periods in the Kivus alone (IPIS and SaveActMine 2016).
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