U.S.-Congo Cobalt Deal Puts New Pressure on China’s Minerals Empire

U.S.-Congo Cobalt Deal Puts New Pressure on China’s Minerals Empire

President Donald Trump’s push to secure critical minerals has moved from policy paper to geopolitical power play, as his strategic minerals executive order that frames critical minerals supply as a national security imperative now undergirds a high‑stakes deal to tap Congo’s vast copper, cobalt, and rare earth reserves as a direct challenge to Beijing’s grip on global supply chains.

In classic America‑First fashion reminiscent of Cold War resource contests, the administration is leveraging executive authority, development finance, and security partnerships to peel Africa away from China’s orbit and reroute the raw materials lifeblood of next‑generation energy and defense technologies through U.S.-aligned channels instead.

In what’s being hailed as a major win for the Trump administration against Chinese domination of the rare earth minerals market, the U.S. has supported an American company, Virtus Minerals, in developing two major mines producing cobalt and copper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This is claimed to be the first U.S. rare earth minerals acquisition in the African nation since President Donald Trump announced the Washington Accord last December.

Historically, China has been the heavy lifter of these metals. The Strategic Studies Institute reported that 80% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the DRC — and 80% of that is controlled by China. Cobalt, used in a wide range of applications, from electric cars and mobile phones to military jets, is on the U.S. government’s list of critical minerals. Copper, also on the list, has traditional uses such as piping for plumbing, but is also needed in electronics and the automotive industry.

Exclusive: A U.S. firm has finally acquired one of the world’s largest cobalt producers not already in China’s hands, marking a significant win for the Trump administration https://t.co/BbL82jNY8E

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 31, 2026

Backed by Washington D.C., American mining firm Virtus touts itself as “the first U.S.-owned operator to return to the DRC in over ten years,” through its stake in Chemaf, a domestic cobalt and copper firm that runs two sites: the Étoile mine in Lubumbashi and the Mutoshi operation in Kolwezi.

The total investment commitment exceeds $700 million, with roughly $475 million in debt financing from Orion Resource Partners. The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is also involved in backing the deal.

Once scaled up, the combined operations target annual production of 75,000 tonnes of copper cathodes and 25,000 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide. The Mutoshi mine alone could supply up to 5% of global cobalt production.

🚨🇺🇸Trump just landed a major blow to China’s grip on Africa’s critical minerals.

An American company, Virtus Minerals, with U.S. government support, is developing 2 major cobalt and copper mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This marks the first U.S.-owned rare… pic.twitter.com/QY4KX6pXed

— NewsForce (@Newsforce) June 23, 2026

Mining is one thing, processing is another. To pair with the news, the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) recently signed a conditional $725 million loan commitment with Energy Fuels to expand domestic rare earth element processing, explicitly framed as a move to reduce reliance on China.

Energy Fuels currently operates a uranium processing facility and rare earth oxide separation facility located at White Mesa Mill, Utah. The conditional loan commitment between OSC and Energy Fuels specifies customary additional steps that the company must take to proceed toward financial close on the loan, including fulfilling financial, legal, technical and other due diligence requirements.

“The Office of Strategic Capital is continuing to supercharge our ability to onshore rare earth processing,” said the Honorable Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. “This partnership drives an aggressive effort to close vulnerabilities in our industrial base and secure a resilient American supply chain for rare earth elements.”

U.S. signs US$725 million loan pact with Energy Fuels to boost domestic rare earth production https://t.co/cX6rO4Z8w1

— BNN Bloomberg (@BNNBloomberg) June 19, 2026

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy has been working to bolster the domestic critical minerals supply chain through its Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation recently committed $15 million to two initiatives designed to create regional consortia that will speed the development of new critical mineral and material supply chains using unconventional and secondary feedstocks.

In the first project, researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, will investigate critical minerals resources within sedimentary formations and active mine waste in the Pacific Coast and Basin and Range regions, the DOE said. The goal is to develop a comprehensive critical minerals database comprising existing information and new data gathered through field work.

The second project will involve researchers at Georgia Tech Research Corp. examining valuable minerals within the Atlantic seaboard plain. Categories of particular interest include sedimentary minerals such as kaolin, bauxite, heavy minerals and phosphate, as well as residues from mining and coal combustion.

Researchers will also analyze samples from former industrial sites, otherwise known as brownfields, to identify their composition, mineral types, critical mineral forms and rare earth element characteristics. The data collected will be used in statistical analyses and machine learning to predict where these minerals can be found and develop efficient extraction methods.

Millions in DOE investments aim to boost domestic critical minerals: https://t.co/LCvZDegVlG

— American Exploration & Mining Association (@MiningAmerica) June 17, 2026

What we are witnessing is not just a mining deal but a long-overdue strategic correction: Washington policymakers are finally treating critical minerals as the geopolitical leverage points they are, rather than as commodities to be outsourced to adversaries.

By pairing access to overseas resources in the Congo with domestic processing and innovation pipelines, the Trump administration is signaling that supply chain security is directly tied to national security.

China’s mineral dominance was never inevitable; it was enabled by years of Western complacency. Now, with capital, policy, and political will aligned, our county is re-entering the arena with intent to compete and to win.

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