China’s DRC mining footprint reaches 49 projects and a majority share

Chinese firms are now involved in a majority of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s critical mining projects. Their share was below one-third in 2023. The change puts Chinese participation at the centre of the country’s critical minerals sector, according to The Africa Report, which puts the tally at 49 projects and counting.

The figures describe participation in projects, rather than the amount of minerals those projects produce. The source does not specify the firms’ ownership stakes or break down their involvement by mineral. The majority share should therefore not be read as a measure of Chinese ownership or production in the DRC.

The Africa Report presents the expanding footprint as the payoff from Beijing’s long-term strategy. Its central finding is a substantial shift in the breadth of Chinese business involvement: from a minority of projects in 2023 to more than half today.

Chinese firms now participate in more than half of the DRC’s critical mining projects, according to The Africa Report.

For mining and commodities businesses, the distinction matters. These figures show how widely Chinese firms are involved across the project landscape, not their share of mineral supply. The next point to watch is whether that project footprint continues to expand beyond the reported 49.