DR Congo Suspends Mining Activities in Parts of South Kivu Over Illegal Operations

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has suspended mining activities for three months in parts of South Kivu province as authorities intensify efforts to combat illegal mining and mineral smuggling in the country’s eastern regions.

According to a directive issued by Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba on May 22, the suspension applies to the Mwenga and Shabunda territories in South Kivu.

The government said the temporary halt will allow a special inspection mission led by the General Inspectorate of Mines to verify the legality of mining operations in the affected areas.

Authorities aim to curb mining fraud, illegal exploitation of mineral resources and illicit supply chains that have long affected eastern Congo’s mining sector.

South Kivu is a major source of artisanal production of gold, cassiterite (tin ore) and coltan, a strategic mineral widely used in the manufacture of electronic devices and advanced technologies.

Most mining activities in the region are carried out by artisanal and small-scale miners operating under difficult regulatory and security conditions.

The suspension follows broader government efforts to tighten oversight of mineral-rich areas linked to armed conflict and illegal trade networks.

In 2025, Congo imposed restrictions on mineral trading from dozens of artisanal mining sites across North and South Kivu after authorities said evidence showed illegal mineral flows were helping finance armed groups operating in eastern parts of the country.

Eastern Congo remains one of Africa’s most resource-rich but conflict-affected regions, with mining activities often complicated by insecurity, weak enforcement capacity and informal trading networks.

Beyond artisanal minerals, the Democratic Republic of the Congo also holds some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, copper and lithium, making the country increasingly important in global electric vehicle and battery supply chains.

The latest suspension highlights growing pressure on the Congolese government to improve traceability, strengthen regulation and secure greater control over strategic mineral production as international demand for critical minerals continues to rise.