The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to gain significantly from the discovery of large gold reserves by Barrick Gold Corporation, a Canadian firm. Mark Bristow, the firm's President and CEO, announced that these reserves are located in the Kibali region, about 150 kilometers from Arua near the Ugandan border.

This discovery presents major opportunities for mining subcontractors, local councils, and the government to earn more through taxes and infrastructure contracts with Barrick as it aims to increase gold production in the DRC.

To date, Barrick Gold claims payments of $2.87 billion to local contractors and suppliers, $1.66 billion in royalties, taxes, and levies, and $216 million in infrastructure and community support.

While specific details about the reserves are still under wraps, exploiting them could position the DRC among the world's top gold producers and exporters. Bristow stated that the new reserves will greatly enhance output at Kibali, which is already the largest gold mine in the world. “The newly defined ARK target, located 4 kilometers from the processing plant, has the potential to provide a multi-million ounce high-grade deposit,” he said.

In 2023, the DRC was the seventeenth-largest gold producer globally, with a slight increase in output from 2022. Production is expected to rise by 0.88% between 2023 and 2027, according to Global Data.

Barrick Gold, which owns the Kibali mine, is a joint venture between Randgold (45%), AngloGold Ashanti (45%), and Sokimo (10%).

Emmanuel Tumanjong