Get to Know Africa: A $9 Billion U.S.-Backed Minerals Deal Could Reshape Western Access to Congo's Cobalt. One Treasury Decision Stands in the Way

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A major new deal aimed at securing critical minerals for the United States is moving forward, but its success depends on a key policy decision in Washington.

A U.S.-government-supported consortium led by private investment firm Orion Resource Partners is negotiating to acquire 40% of two of the Democratic Republic of Congo's largest copper and cobalt operations: Mutanda Mining (MUMI) and Kamoto Copper Company (KCC). Together, these assets represent some of the most strategically important sources of copper and cobalt in the world. These minerals are essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy technology, defense systems, and advanced electronics.

The proposed deal, valued at roughly $9 billion, including debt obligations, would be one of the largest Western-backed investments into African critical minerals in years. It represents a concrete effort to reduce U.S. reliance on China, which currently controls approximately 80% of global cobalt refining and near-total dominance of DRC mining operations. Glencore has already signed a land access agreement with Gécamines extending the Kamoto mine's operational lifespan into the 2040s — a sign of real commercial momentum that makes the urgency of U.S. policy alignment impossible to ignore.

There is, however, a critical and time-sensitive hurdle: current U.S. sanctions on businessman Dan Gertler, whose companies historically held royalty interests tied to these mines, prevent U.S. firms from acquiring his remaining interests. Without resolution of this issue, the deal cannot be completed.

The Sanctions Question: What the Record Actually Shows

Dan Gertler was designated under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program in 2017 over alleged corrupt mining deals in the DRC. Those sanctions remain in effect. However, the landscape has changed materially since then.

In 2022, Gertler signed a $2 billion agreement to return mining assets to the Congolese state — a significant development that policymakers should weigh carefully when evaluating the current situation. The first Trump administration granted a temporary license in January 2021 to allow the transaction to proceed — a decision the Biden administration later reversed. The current administration now faces the same choice, with China's dominance in the DRC's mineral sector more entrenched than ever. The question now is whether the current administration will build on what was started.

Critics have questioned whether these assets were fairly priced. But an independent valuation commissioned by the DRC's own state mining company concluded the opposite: that the price paid for at least one key asset was above market value.

"The documentary evidence points in a different direction than the allegations that have dominated this conversation," said Hariana Veras, chief White House correspondent for Africa. "That's not a footnote. That's a central fact. We encourage anyone serious about understanding this deal to look at the full record, not just the loudest voices. The U.S. has a narrow window to act. Resolving this sanctions question is the single step that unlocks a landmark partnership, secures critical mineral supply chains, and demonstrates that America is a serious player in Africa. We're calling on policymakers to take that step now."

Why This Deal Is a Strategic Imperative

The DRC holds the world's largest cobalt reserves and is a major global source of copper. China's dominance over these supply chains is not hypothetical. It is the current reality, and it carries serious implications for U.S. clean energy infrastructure, electric vehicle manufacturing, and national defense.

The Orion Critical Minerals Consortium (Orion CMC), backed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), represents a serious, government-supported effort to change that equation. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has stated the U.S. is "fully committed" to the DRC partnership and will work closely with Kinshasa to advance this transaction.

Glencore has already signed a land access agreement with Gécamines to extend the Kamoto mine's operational lifespan into the 2040s, which is a sign of real commercial momentum that underscores the urgency of U.S. policy alignment.

A Sovereign Partner Is Asking

This is not a unilateral U.S. decision made in isolation. The DRC government under President Félix Tshisekedi has formally and publicly supported sanctions relief as a condition for unlocking this level of Western investment. President Tshisekedi has communicated directly with Washington on this issue, as reported by major outlets including The New York Times, making clear that resolving the Gertler royalty question is a national priority for the DRC, not a concession to a foreign businessman.

Resolving this issue in the current context is not a rollback of anti-corruption principles. It is the mechanism by which legacy royalty interests can be transferred into transparent, U.S.-aligned ownership, replacing uncertainty with accountability, and ceding ground to China with American partnership.

An Opportunity That Cannot Wait

The Orion-Glencore deal is currently in due diligence, moving toward legally binding documentation. The sanctions issue is the primary U.S. regulatory hurdle remaining. Every day of delay creates uncertainty that benefits competitors who are not waiting.

Get to Know Africa Corporation believes this moment deserves serious and timely attention from U.S. policymakers. The strategic, commercial, and diplomatic conditions for a successful outcome are in place. What remains is the policy decision to match them.

About Get to Know Africa Corporation 

The Get to Know Africa Corporation is an educational 501c3 nonprofit organization, created in the United State Of America by a group of young Africans with the purpose of promoting Africa in the US.

We believe that to create an impact on society and change perceptions, the role of the media within the broader framework of the social, cultural, political, and economic power structures of society is very important. The media primarily has the potential to influence to some extent the minds of readers and viewers. That's why we created the television program Get To Know Africa.

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SOURCE Get to Know Africa