Congo moves to tighten state control over mining by locking down geological data

The Democratic Republic of Congo is moving to make geological data a strategic state asset, tightening its control over the information that guides billions of dollars in mining exploration.

The country is accelerating geological mapping, airborne surveys and the digitisation of historical archives to create a national databank covering its critical minerals. Officials say the effort will reduce exploration risks and help identify deposits across large areas that remain poorly explored.

A nationwide mapping programme gained momentum this year after a $180 million contract with Spain’s Xcalibur began in January. The project is surveying more than 700,000 square kilometres using airborne geophysics, digitised data and advanced analytics, according to Raoul Wazenga Vitima, director general of the National Geological Survey of Congo.

The databank is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. Unlike Australia and other major mining jurisdictions, Congo plans to keep access under state control and charge for some information. Requests will be assessed against investor needs and the protection of Congo’s “strategic interests,” Vitima said. “The data generated under these programmes constitute a strategic asset of the Congolese state,” he said.

The system will use tiered access. Basic geological information will be available free of charge, while more sensitive datasets will carry fees. Vitima said revenue from data products could help fund continued mapping and exploration, although he did not specify the fee structure.

Congo holds major deposits of copper, cobalt, lithium, tantalum and gold, yet systematic exploration covers barely 20% of the country, according to the geological survey. Exploration spending reached $130.7 million in 2024, the highest level in Africa, but activity remains concentrated in the copper and cobalt belt of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga. The new system is intended to extend exploration beyond those areas while giving the state greater influence over who can access the information.

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The data generated under these programmes constitute a strategic asset of the Congolese state.