Ahead of the 13th Battery Summit in Tokyo, we interviewed Egyul Mamoko ,Technical Cell for Coordination and Mining Planning (CTCPM) , who will be speaking at the event. In this interview, he discusses his background, the stability of mineral supply, the DRC's international partnerships, and the advancement of local industrial development.
Q1. Could you please introduce yourself and your role within the DRC’s mining landscape?
I am a Metallurgist Expert currently serving at the Department of Metallurgical Studies and Industrial Integration within the Technical Cell for Coordination and Mining Planning (CTCPM). As the technical arm of the Ministry of Mines, the CTCPM acts as the strategic focal point for mining activities across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My background in hydrometallurgy—specifically in copper, cobalt, and gold—allows me to support the Ministry in technical oversight and industrial planning.
Q2. Japan’s industry is highly concerned about supply stability. Can the DRC ensure a stable and continuous supply of cobalt and other battery materials in the coming years?
As a Metallurgist Expert, I’m going to provide my technical and personal perspective rather than a formal government policy statement.
The DRC is committed to maintaining its position as a global leader in critical minerals. While I speak from a technical perspective, the ongoing reforms in our legal framework are designed to create a more predictable and secure environment for production. By improving infrastructure and formalizing artisanal sectors, the DRC aims to ensure that our mineral wealth translates into a reliable global supply chain.
Q3. Currently, the majority of cobalt intermediates from the DRC are processed in China. Does the DRC aim to diversify its processing and export partners?
Today, our first purpose is to keep the most value chain of our mining products in DRC. My country is opened to all partners come from all continents of the world. That why, we have signed a partnership with USA for example.
Q4. Is the DRC planning to develop more local refining capacity instead of exporting raw materials?
My personal view is that the future of the Congolese mining industry lies in Value Addition. We are shifting our focus from merely extracting and exporting raw ores to promoting local transformation. This means developing a full value chain within the DRC—from extraction to refining—to ensure that the economic benefits stay within the country while providing higher-quality products to the global market.
Q5. What are the primary challenges in developing this local value chain?
The biggest hurdles are energy and infrastructure. High-scale metallurgical processing, such as hydro-electrical refining, requires significant and stable power. Currently, our energy efficiency needs improvement to support industrial-scale mining. We are looking for partners who can contribute not just to mining, but to the energy efficiency and infrastructure projects required to power these transformation plants.
We are honored to also host Mr. SHONGO Patrick from the DRC Embassy at this summit. We look forward to seeing how this event encourages further high-level dialogue between the DRC and Japan.
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