DR Congo - Strengthening of control in the mining sector of the DR Congo
Country / Region: DR Congo / Africa
Focal Point: Mineral Resources
Begin of project: January 1, 2018
End of project: June 30, 2021
Status of project: May 26, 2021
Inspection Tantal mine Kalemie, Tanganyika-Province
Source: BGR
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is richly endowed with mineral resources. In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, mineral resources are often extracted in informal small-scale mining, especially the so-called conflict minerals tungsten, tin, tantalum and gold (3TG).
Although more than 1 million people in the DRC are directly dependent on or affected by artisanal and small-scale mining and some work in mining and processing under inhumane conditions, there is too little consideration on an international level for the affected population.
BGR is implementing cooperation projects in DRC since 2009, aiming at improving the living conditions of people in the areas of small-scale mining and at reducing conflict financing through illegal mining and trade of uncertified conflict minerals.
Artisanal Gold mine, Watsa, Haut Uele
Source: BGR
The project comprises three areas:
- The certification system (CTC, Certified Trading Chains), which was developed by BGR and is in application in the DR Congo since 2009, is further developed. The standards are adapted to new international and national developments and requirements. Management of CTC will be changed to a multi-stakeholder structure.
- Artisanal mining companies and cooperatives are supported directly in the implementation of responsible mining practices through audit and training measures.
- Measures and methods for supply chain due diligence are further developed, e.g. for improving the transparency of the gold supply chain.
Coltan mine Luwowo, Rubaya
Source: BGR
Overall, the economic, environmental and working conditions as well as the legal status of artisanal and small-scale mining operations in the Eastern part of the DRC are improved through certification processes and capacity building. The project currently reaches 28 mining companies and cooperatives of various sizes with a total of approx. 25,000 miners.
The revised CTC standards were approved by the Congolese Ministry of Mines in 2020. The current standards also provide for application in artisanal copper and cobalt mining, first audits in this sector are scheduled to start in the course of 2020. By setting up a multi-stakeholder structure to steer CTC, civil society organisations and the private sector (mining companies and cooperatives) will be increasingly involved in the certification process alongside state institutions.
In the current phase, the project also supports the UN mission for peace and stability in DR Congo, MONUSCO, through an expert on raw materials working directly for MONUSCO in an advisory capacity.
BGR has offices in five locations in the DR Congo (Kinshasa, Kindu, Bukavu, Goma and Lubumbashi).
BGR Mineral Certification DR Congo
Project contributions:
- Detection and Monitoring of Small-Scale Mining Operations in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Using Multi-Temporal, Multi-Sensor Remote Sensing Data
- TC Project DR Congo: Economic development and responsible supply chains in the mining sector
- TZ Kongo - Erfassung und Beobachtung der Bergbauaktivitäten im Ost Kongo mittels multisensoraler und multitemporaler Fernerkundungsdaten
- TZ Projekt DR Kongo: Wirtschaftliche Entwicklung und verantwortungsvolle Lieferketten im Bergbausektor
Literature:
- Traceability in Artisanal Gold Supply Chains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lessons Learned from the Kampene Gold Pilot Project (2019) (PDF, 3 MB)
- Mapping of the Artisanal Copper-Cobalt Mining Sector in the Provinces of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Fact sheet of the project: Strengthening Control in the Mining Sector, Democratic Republic of Congo (PDF, 925 KB)
Partner:
Ministry of Mines, DRC and its subordinated National and Provincial services
Certification Authority (CEEC)
Service for artisanal and small scale mining (SAEMAPE)