The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has extended for another six months its ban on mineral trading from dozens of artisanal mining sites in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, the Ministry of Mines announced.
According to an official decree dated November 3 and signed by Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, the ban, first imposed in February 2024, will remain in force due to evidence that illicit mineral trade continues to fund armed groups operating in the region.
The order, published on the ministry’s official social media channels on Sunday, targets 38 mining sites producing coltan, cassiterite, and wolframite, minerals that yield tin, tantalum, and tungsten, essential components in the electronics, automotive, and aerospace industries.
The ministry said the extension aims to curb the illegal flow of “conflict minerals” and to compel greater compliance and transparency across global supply chains.
The eastern DRC, rich in mineral resources, remains plagued by instability as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and other armed groups have seized swathes of territory in recent months. The renewed M23 offensive this year has reportedly killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
For years, U.N. experts and human rights organizations have warned that proceeds from the illegal mining and trade of coltan, cassiterite, and gold continue to fuel violence and sustain armed movements in the region.
A U.N. report released in December 2024 confirmed that revenues from smuggled minerals were financing military operations and prolonging a “war economy” that undermines peace efforts.
Under the extended order, sourcing or exporting minerals from the affected mining zones is strictly prohibited. The mines ministry added that the targeted sites could undergo independent audits by either the ministry itself or international oversight bodies, including the United Nations and the OECD.
The government has also taken its campaign against illicit mineral trade to the international stage. In 2024, Congo filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of Apple Inc. (AAPL.O), accusing them of benefiting from minerals pillaged from conflict areas, despite the company’s public compliance disclosures under U.S. law.
Apple denied the allegations, stating that it had instructed its suppliers to cease sourcing minerals from the DRC and Rwanda.
Meanwhile, U.S. courts have previously heard similar cases involving Apple, Google, Tesla, Dell, and Microsoft, alleging the use of cobalt mined under exploitative conditions in Congo. However, those lawsuits were later dismissed.
Analysts say the extension of the mineral ban underscores Kinshasa’s renewed effort to assert control over its resource sector, while sending a message to global corporations to ensure full traceability and ethical sourcing of minerals critical to modern technology.
