The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has announced a strategic shift in its approach to mineral exploration by prioritizing Congolese geologists in subsoil mapping and resource discovery initiatives.

This move by the Ministry of Mines, led by Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, aims to strengthen national capacity to independently explore and understand the country’s extensive yet under-explored mineral reserves.

Investment in local geological expertise is seen as key to boosting mineral governance and maximizing the value from DRC’s vast resource base.

Historically dominated by foreign experts, the field of geological exploration in the DRC is now being opened up to national technical services and geoscientists who have a deeper understanding of the region’s complex terrain and mineralogy.

The government’s approach includes equipping Congolese geologists with enhanced training, modern tools, and access to data, enabling them to lead strategic subsoil studies that underpin responsible mining development across the country.

The effort aligns with other initiatives to modernize the sector, including leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI, satellite, and geospatial data in partnerships with foreign tech firms but always with a focus on capacity building for Congolese professionals.

The broad goal is to make Congo’s geological services more autonomous, deepen local expertise, and ensure that mineral exploration and subsequent investment benefits the Congolese economy and workforce