The move is a key step in formalising the sector in a country that supplies much of the world’s battery metal. The DRC holds about 72% of global cobalt reserves and accounts for over 74% of supply, much of it from informal artisanal mines.

Artisanal mining is a lifeline for DRC, employing an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million people and supporting more than 10 million people indirectly.

–Reuters–