US-China Competition on the Rise in DRC's Critical Minerals Sector

[SMM Flash] Coltan mining in Rubaya demonstrates the strategic importance of the DRC to the global technology supply chain. The ore is an important source of tantalum and niobium, metals used in electronic components and other high-technology applications. Despite the remote nature of the mining area and poor access infrastructure, the material extracted from the region ultimately supports industries with significant global demand. The contrast between the remote mining environment and the strategic importance of the material highlights the vulnerability of upstream supply chains. Continued demand from electronics and other technology-related industries provides an economic incentive for coltan production, while conflict, weak infrastructure and limited formalisation create challenges for moving material from mining communities into established international supply chains. Developments in major producing areas such as Rubaya therefore remain relevant to the longer-term security of tantalum supply.

[SMM Flash] Strong global demand for coltan has not necessarily translated into improved incomes for artisanal miners in eastern DRC. DW reported that a miner in Rubaya earns around $40 per month, despite the strategic importance and international demand for the mineral. The disparity highlights the significant gap between the value of tantalum-bearing material in international markets and the economic returns received by workers at the upstream end of the supply chain. The issue also raises broader questions about how value is distributed across the coltan supply chain. While downstream industries depend on tantalum for electronics and other high-value applications, mining communities can remain economically vulnerable. For the market, this highlights the importance of understanding not only production volumes and prices but also the structure of the upstream supply chain and the conditions under which material enters international trade.

Construction of a 20MW solar power plant at Almid Private Limited, part of Zimbabwe's Jin An Group, has reached 60% completion in Gweru, according to a Herald report from a government delegation tour of the site. The plant is intended to supplement grid electricity supply for Jin An's ferrochrome operations and ease pressure on the national grid, forming part of a broader US$140 million energy investment by the group. That wider investment also includes plans for a 100MW captive power plant, targeted for completion by the end of 2027. Jin An currently operates five ferrochrome furnaces requiring approximately 50MW to run at full capacity — meaning the 20MW solar installation alone would cover roughly 40% of that requirement, with the planned 100MW captive plant designed to close the remaining gap and provide capacity beyond current needs. Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Zhemu Soda toured the project alongside Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, as part of a wider assessment of development projects across the Midlands province. The progress is a concrete data point against a deadline flagged earlier this year by the International Chromium Development Association, which noted that Zimbabwe's government has given ferrochrome miners until the end of 2026 to develop their own captive power generation, primarily from renewable sources, ending a period of subsidised grid tariffs. With Jin An's solar phase now more than halfway complete and a larger captive plant slated for 2027, the company's timeline suggests captive power capacity will continue building well beyond this year's deadline — a reminder that for energy-intensive ferrochrome smelting, meeting Zimbabwe's self-generation push is likely to be a multi-year transition rather than a single milestone.