China is deepening its presence in Africa’s mineral-rich landscape with a new $1.08 billion investment by CMOC Group Ltd. to expand its KFM copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The move signals Beijing’s continued drive to secure critical raw materials for its industrial and green-energy ambitions, even as global supply disruptions put pressure on the copper market.
Expansion to Add 100,000 Metric Tons of Copper Annually
The KFM expansion will launch its second phase in 2027 and is projected to add about 100,000 metric tons of copper output per year.
The first phase of the project reached full capacity in 2023.
CMOC Group Ltd., a Chinese multinational mining and resources company headquartered in Luoyang, which holds a 71.25 percent stake in the mine through its Hong Kong-based subsidiary, said the expansion will strengthen its production capacity and reinforce its position in the global copper and cobalt supply chains.
CMOC Strengthens Its Position in the DRC
Beyond KFM, CMOC also operates the Tenke Fungurume mine, one of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest producers of copper and cobalt.
The company said its expanding footprint in Congo is part of a broader strategy to secure critical minerals essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, even as it navigates risks from commodity price volatility and political uncertainty.
Globally, CMOC’s portfolio includes the Northparkes copper and gold mine in Australia, as well as niobium and phosphate operations in Brazil that supply key materials for agriculture and advanced manufacturing industries.
Global Copper Supply Faces Tightening Conditions
The investment comes amid rising concerns over a global copper shortage, following disruptions such as the suspension of Freeport’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia.
However, the newly announced KFM expansion could help stabilise supply and support industrial output as demand for low-carbon technologies continues to accelerate.
At the same time, several U.S. mining companies are also exploring opportunities to enter the mineral-rich Democratic Republic of Congo, seeking to secure access to critical raw materials essential for clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
China’s Expanding Investment Footprint in Africa
In the first half of 2025, China signed $30.5 billion in construction contracts across the continent, nearly five times the amount recorded during the same period in 2024, according to research from Griffith University and the Green Finance & Development Center.
Recent projects include a $450 million steel plant in Nigeria, solar manufacturing facilities in Ethiopia, and expanded mining operations in Botswana and Sierra Leone. Beijing has also backed Uganda’s $1.7 billion hydropower plant and pledged $1.7 billion in renewable-energy and industrial projects in Ethiopia.
Reinforcing Strategic Partnerships
CMOC’s latest investment underscores China’s growing role in shaping Africa’s energy and industrial future, reinforcing a partnership built on resource cooperation and infrastructure development.
