From November 5th, the 9th APAC Stainless Steel Industry Conference has been taking place in Xiamen, China. The event has attracted industry experts from across the globe. Among the esteemed attendees, the IRuniverse team had the honor to interview Egyul Mamoko, a metallurgist expert from the Technical Mining Coordination and Planning Unit (CTCPM) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The discussion revolved around DRC’s mining industry, potential collaboration opportunities, and strategies for future growth.

 

 

Seeking Collaboration to Develop DRC’s Steel and Mining Industries

 

Tanamachi: What is your primary purpose in attending this conference?

 

Mamoko: Our purpose here is to seek cooperation with companies in steel industry, DRC is one of the biggest countries with good deposit of minerals. The iron industry in DRC is not developed now and we want to see how to develop the sector in DRC, that’s the first purpose. Also why not take a collaboration on other minerals, like copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum.

 

Tanamachi: Are there specific countries you are targeting for cooperation?

 

Mamoko: We don’t have a preference. We are open to all companies from any country.

 

Akai: This conference, many people from all over the world, not just China—there are representatives from Indonesia, Japan, and Singapore. Are you interested in these markets?

 

Mamoko: Why not? Indonesia, Japan, China, all the countries are possible, we’re open.

 

 

 

 

About Conflict in DRC: Conflict only happens in a small part of DRC, the production of Tantalum is not affected

 

Akai: I think it’s just a rumor, but many companies, like Apple, they’re hesitating to use minerals from Congo, like tantalum. What do you think about that?

 

Mamoko: In my opinion, it’s just a big rumor. The conflict in east part of DRC is possibly just in 2 provinces, north Kivu and a little south Kivu. But tantalum is not in these 2 provinces.

 

Akai: So the production of tantalum is unaffected by conflict?

 

Mamoko: Correct. DRC is a very big country with 26 provinces, and tantalum production occurs in peaceful areas.

 

 

Encouraging Japanese Investment in DRC

 

Tanamachi: Are there currently any Japanese companies investing in the steel industry in the DRC?

 

Mamoko: For now, I don’t know any Japanese companies in Congo.

 

Tanamachi: Which industries would you like to see Japanese companies invest in?

 

Mamoko: For me, I think mining industry, to develop mining industry in DRC, to add value chain. And not just export minerals, but also in extraction and transformation.

 

Akai: Some believe that the DRC market is already dominated by Chinese companies, leaving little room for Japanese enterprises. What is your opinion on this?

 

Mamoko: That’s a misconception. There’s certainly room for Japanese companies to enter, and collaboration between Japanese and Chinese enterprises could be beneficial for developing the industry.

 

 

Opportunities in Copper and Lithium Development

 

Mamoko: I also have operating permits in copper and in lithium.

 

Akai: Are there any lithium mines in DR Congo? Lithium is a highly sought-after material, and many countries currently import it from Chile or other regions.

 

Mamoko: Currently, there’s no lithium production in the DRC, but it is a possibility for the future.

 

 

Over-mining problem in DRC under Chinese strategy

 

Tanamachi: Some believe that Chinese companies adopt aggressive strategies, leading to oversupply issues, particularly in cobalt. This affects global prices and creates other challenges. What are your thoughts?

 

Mamoko: Some Chinese companies they do have a lot of exportation of minerals in DR Congo to make a stock. For DRC, for us, we need the money for us to develop our economic situation, infrastructure, hospitals. We need these Chinese companies’ investment in DRC. But about their strategy it’s true, the strategy is bad because if we don’t put more attention or warning, it will be a problem for us.

 

Tanamachi: We think it’s an advantage of Japanese style, we don’t just export the minerals, but also we will help to build the industry. The idea of DR Congo and the idea of Japan are quite matching.

 

 

Government Incentives for Foreign Investment

 

Tanamachi: Are there any government policies in the DRC to encourage foreign investment?

 

Mamoko: Yes, the mining sector operates under a mining law that offers various advantages, such as tax incentives and import benefits.

 

 

(IRuniverse LIN)

 

 

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