U.S.-Backed Virtus Minerals Opens Major Cobalt, Copper Projects In DRC
Virtus Minerals, backed by U.S. officials, has opened major cobalt and copper projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo after acquiring Chemaf and the Étoile and Mutoshi mines.
The company says its processing plants will begin operations in 2027 and will produce about 75,000 tonnes of copper and 20,000 tonnes of cobalt annually. Exports are planned to move through the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor, part of an American program that includes roughly $5 billion in investment support. The projects are being described as the first U.S.-owned mining operations in the DRC in more than a decade and the first acquisition under the December 2025 Washington Accord.
On December 4, 2025, the United States, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda signed the Washington Accords. The Accords designated critical mineral assets for preferential U.S. access and required legal changes to enable foreign investment. The step followed earlier U.S. infrastructure commitments, including a December 2024 DFC loan of up to $553 million for rail upgrades to support mineral exports from the DRC and Zambia. Virtus negotiated and closed its acquisition of Chemaf and the Étoile and Mutoshi mines in early 2026 as the first U.S. firm to operate under the new framework.
Supporters have framed the deals as a major win for the Trump administration against China in the race for African critical minerals.[1] Critics and analysts warn that Virtus may have overstated its mining experience in the roughly $30 million Chemaf purchase and note that rebel-controlled sites and ongoing eastern DRC conflict could complicate output. The DRC supplied about 76 percent of global cobalt mine production in 2024, and global mine production was roughly 310,000 metric tons in 2025 with the DRC's share around 230,000 tons.
The mainstream summary emphasizes the opening of U.S.-backed mining operations in the DRC, framing it as a significant geopolitical win against China. However, it does not address the concerns raised by critics regarding Virtus Minerals' purported mining experience, which some analysts argue may have been overstated in the acquisition of Chemaf. This skepticism is echoed on social media, where users highlight the potential risks associated with operating in rebel-controlled areas of eastern DRC, which could jeopardize production and undermine the projected benefits of the deal. Furthermore, while the summary notes the DRC's crucial role in global cobalt supply, it omits the broader context of U.S. cobalt consumption, valued at an estimated $260 million in 2024, predominantly for superalloys used in aerospace applications, underscoring the strategic importance of these resources beyond mere geopolitical competition.
Additionally, the mainstream account does not delve into the implications of the U.S.-DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement, which aims to enhance economic security for both nations. This partnership, along with the Lobito Corridor infrastructure project, represents a concerted effort to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains, as highlighted by various analysts who argue that the U.S. is actively seeking to diversify its mineral sources amid national security concerns. The complexities of this geopolitical landscape suggest that the challenges and motivations behind such investments are more nuanced than the summary conveys.
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📊 Relevant Data
The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounted for an estimated 76% of global cobalt mine production in 2024, with world total mine production reaching record highs that year.
Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 - Cobalt — U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. cobalt consumption was valued at an estimated $260 million in 2024, with 51% used in superalloys primarily for aircraft gas turbine engines.
Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 - Cobalt — U.S. Geological Survey
Global cobalt mine production was estimated at roughly 310,000 metric tons in 2025, with the DRC share at about 230,000 metric tons.
Cobalt production in the world 2025 — StatRanker (citing USGS)
📌 Key Facts
- Virtus Minerals has invested in Chemaf and taken on two mines in the DRC: Étoile in Lubumbashi and Mutoshi in Kolwezi.
- The company plans to produce about 75,000 tonnes of copper and 20,000 tonnes of cobalt annually once processing plants enter operation in 2027.
- Virtus and U.S. officials are routing exports through the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor, supported by a $5 billion American investment commitment.
- The projects are described as the first U.S.-owned mining operations in the DRC in more than a decade and the first such acquisition since the December 2025 Washington Accord.
- China currently controls an estimated 80% of DRC cobalt production, and the U.S. move is intended to reduce that strategic dependence.
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