ERG: Military-backed intruders resume illegal cobalt extraction at Metalkol
In brief
- ERG reports military-backed intruders resumed illegal extraction at Metalkol cobalt operation in Congo
- Incursion threatens to cut mine's operational life from nine years to three, risking $10 billion revenue
- Intruders claim riverbed remediation but ERG alleges thousands of tonnes of mineral-rich tailings hauled daily
- DRC produces most global cobalt; illegal mining exposes enforcement gaps despite government directives
Illegal Extraction Resumes
The intruders are affiliated with Societe Cooperative Miniere Hosanna and led by businessman Fatou Ntete Etumba. They claim authorization for riverbed remediation work. ERG sees it differently: thousands of tonnes of mineral-rich tailings are being hauled away daily using heavy machinery.
The scale of what sits beneath Metalkol is substantial. The operation sits atop more than 100 million tonnes of tailings containing commercially significant concentrations of cobalt and copper. These tailings represent decades of earlier extraction waste, making the reprocessing operation lower-cost and more environmentally sustainable than opening new mines.
Enforcement Gaps in Congo's Mining Sector
The Congolese General Inspectorate of Mines is currently mediating the dispute between ERG and the cooperative. This is not ERG's first run-in with illegal mining. Previous incursions at the company's concessions date back to at least 2022 and 2023. Across its DRC operations, ERG has documented historical incursions leading to estimated annual losses of nearly $2 billion.
The gap between policy and enforcement is stark. Government responses to illegal mining have included presidential directives aimed at reducing armed presence at mining sites. Yet soldiers are reportedly facilitating the very extraction those directives were meant to prevent.
Why This Matters for Global Supply Chains
The DRC produces the majority of the world's cobalt, a metal essential for lithium-ion batteries powering electric vehicles, smartphones, and grid-scale energy storage. Disruptions to cobalt supply ripple through global EV production and renewable energy infrastructure.
ERG has faced scrutiny over its relationships with DRC officials and its own governance practices. The company's struggle to secure its own assets underscores the broader challenge facing foreign operators in Congo's mining sector, where political connections and military interests often trump legal concession rights.
