KoBold Metals, a company backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has launched a mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring lithium to the United States. The company has 13 licenses to operate in the area and will spend approximately $50 million by the end of 2027, Bloomberg reports.
“A year ago, KoBold had no employees and no land in the DRC,” said KoBold CEO Kurt House, as per Mining Engineering Magazine. “Today we are the largest American investor in the country, and we are launching the most ambitious mineral exploration program ever attempted — not just in the DRC, but anywhere. “This happened because of the courage and vision of the DRC government and the tireless work of the U.S. State Department to create the conditions for American companies to succeed here. We intend to prove that partnership right.”
According to the outlet, the program will use an AI system to deploy aerial sensors for mineral exploration.
The move comes as the DRC proposed an offer to the United States last year, allowing it to access its mineral resources in exchange for military assistance. A December agreement between the DRC and the State Department details the “need for a mining sector that operates in accordance with the law and with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and that ensures mineral resources are managed responsibly for the long-term benefit of the Congolese people as well as the people of the United States of America.”
The agreement further seeks to facilitate “stable, predictable, long-term access for U.S. persons and aligned persons to critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support safety, security, and prosperity” for both the U.S. and DRC.
