Congo in the Crosshairs As U.S.-China Clash Over Critical Minerals in Africa’s Heartland

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Highlights

• The DRC holds over $24 trillion in mineral wealth, making it crucial for the global energy transition and a battleground between China and the United States.
• China currently dominates the mineral supply chain, controlling over 70% of cobalt refinement and major mining projects in the region.
• The U.S. is seeking to challenge Chinese mineral dominance through strategic investments, transparency, and potential security partnerships.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), long a crucible of conflict and colonial extraction, is once again at the center of a global power struggle—this time, between China and the United States. At stake is control over the critical minerals that will power the 21st century.

Congo’s Strategic Treasure: Cobalt, Copper, and More

Beneath the blood-stained soils of the DRC lie some of the most critical minerals for the modern global economy. The country is:

• The world’s largest producer of cobalt – essential for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy storage.
• Africa’s largest producer of copper – central to electric grid modernization and green infrastructure.
• Rich in gold, tin, tantalum, and tungsten – all categorized as “conflict minerals” due to their links with armed groups.
• Believed to contain rare earth elements, though less explored than in other regions.

This vast mineral wealth—estimated at over $24 trillion—has made the DRC a linchpin in the global energy transition. Yet, it has also made it a geopolitical battleground, reports Africa News (opens in a new tab).

China’s Entrenched Position: Dominance Through Debt and Development

For two decades, China has invested deeply in the DRC’s mining sector. Through companies such as China Molybdenum (opens in a new tab), Zijin Mining (opens in a new tab), and Huayou Cobalt (opens in a new tab), China controls or co-owns a majority of the largest cobalt and copper projects in the country. The infamous “minerals-for-infrastructure” deals have seen billions of dollars worth of roads, hospitals, and railways built in exchange for mineral rights.

But critics argue these deals have enriched Chinese companies and a handful of Congolese elites—not the Congolese people. Beijing’s model of state-backed, vertically integrated supply chains allows it to extract raw materials, refine them in China, and dominate global clean energy markets.

China now refines over 70% of the world’s cobalt, much of it mined in the DRC. This midstream and downstream control effectively keeps African nations at the bottom of the value chain.

Opportunity, Exploitation, and Environmental Devastation

The economic impact of mining in the DRC is paradoxical. On one hand, mining contributes nearly 99% of export revenue, provides jobs, and draws foreign investment. On the other hand, it has fueled all sorts of negative externalities and exploitive dynamics, from outright labor exploitation and corruption to environmental degradation and violence involving armed conflicts, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, control or threaten mining regions in eastern Congo, worsening humanitarian crises.

Sites like Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu have seen disputes between Congolese regulators and Chinese operators, while local protests against pollution, land seizures, and abuses have become more frequent.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

America’s Move: Strategic Shift Under Trump

Now, the United States is entering the fray. In an April 2025 visit to Kinshasa, Massad Boulos, (opens in a new tab) President Trump’s senior advisor for Africa, met with President Félix Tshisekedi (opens in a new tab) and announced that the U.S. and DRC had “agreed on a path forward” for mineral development.

Though details remain scarce, Boulos hinted at “multibillion-dollar investments” and stressed that American companies would operate “transparently” and “stimulate local economies.”

This move signals a sharp pivot in U.S. strategy—part of a broader push to counter Chinese dominance in critical minerals and secure alternative supply chains for the green economy and defense sector. But are the Americans too late?

The timing is more than economic. With eastern Congo in flames, the deal is also being floated as a “minerals-for-security” arrangement, potentially involving U.S. assistance in stabilizing the region. President Tshisekedi, facing re-election pressures and a growing insurgency, may view American partnership as a counterbalance to Chinese overreach and a source of both legitimacy and leverage.

What the U.S. Must Do to Compete

If Washington is serious about challenging Beijing’s control over global critical mineral supply chains, it must go far beyond symbolism.

A coherent industrial policy is essential. This must include:

• Upstream investment – Support American firms and partners to gain responsible access to mining concessions through joint ventures with Congolese companies.
• Midstream development – Build refining and processing infrastructure in Africa or friendly nations to prevent raw material bottlenecks. 
• Downstream integration – Incentivize domestic battery manufacturing and mineral-based components, especially for electric vehicles and defense.
• ESG leadership – Enforce strict environmental, labor, and transparency standards to distinguish U.S. engagement from exploitative models.

Congo as the Frontline

The DRC today is a stage on which the great economic contest of the 21st century is unfolding. Its minerals fuel smartphones and electric cars—but also violence, displacement, and geopolitical rivalry. For China, Congo is a mineral colony vital to its industrial dominance.

It would seem that Congo is a test for the U.S. Can it offer an alternative that is not just competitive but just? Can it build trust, deliver value, and help the Congolese people share in the wealth beneath their feet? The path forward will be long, and the stakes enormous.