Congo’s Copper-Producing Katanga Province Changes Mines Minister

May.18 (Bloomberg)—The Democratic Republic of Congo’s copper-rich Katanga province changed its mines minister, the outgoing minister said.

The state’s former education minister, Therese Lukenge Kapwibwe, will replace Juvenal Kitungwa Lugoma, who will now serve as minister of infrastructure, Kitungwa said by phone today from Lubumbashi, the provincial capital.

Congo holds 4 percent of global copper reserves and is among the world’s largest producers of cobalt. Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., Glencore International Plc and Vale SA all have mining investments in the province.

China has a $6 billion deal with the Central African country that involves Chinese companies building infrastructure in exchange for Congolese minerals.