Chinese mining group CMOC plans to raise its total investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo to $8 billion, the Ministry of Mines said.
The plan was announced on Dec. 16, 2025, during a meeting in Kinshasa between CMOC representatives and Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, according to a statement from the ministry. CMOC operates the Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM) and Kisanfu Mining (KFM) projects in the country.
Details on the scope and timeline of the planned investments were not disclosed. CMOC said it intends to deepen its engagement in the DRC, citing the country’s mining potential and an improving business climate.
In October 2025, the group’s board approved a $1.08 billion expansion of the Kisanfu mine, aimed at increasing annual copper output by about 100,000 tonnes. Construction is expected to take two years, with commissioning targeted for late 2027.
CMOC acquired an 80% stake in Tenke Fungurume Mining for $2.65 billion in 2016 and a 95% stake in Kisanfu Mining for about $550 million in 2020. The group has since made additional investments to expand production capacity at both sites, bringing total spending to more than $3 billion, based on its annual reports.
During the meeting, CMOC also presented its annual production figures, reporting roughly 700,000 tonnes of copper from its Congolese operations in the 2025 financial year, making it one of the country’s leading copper producers.
The company flagged several operational challenges, including power supply shortages and encroachment by artisanal miners on some concessions, which have disrupted operations and fuelled local tensions.
Watum said coordinated solutions would be pursued with all stakeholders and stressed the need to involve local communities in addressing concession encroachments. He also urged CMOC to invest in local power generation to reduce reliance on electricity imports from neighbouring countries.
The talks also touched on recent cooperation agreements between the DRC and other international partners, including the United States. The minister said these partnerships do not pose a threat to foreign investors, including Chinese companies, or to existing Sino-Congolese cooperation.
Ronsard Luabeya
