The Democratic Republic of Congo's mines minister has suspended the head of the state agency overseeing artisanal and small-scale mining, accusing him of failing to prevent illegal mining on licensed concessions, according to an order seen by Reuters and reported on 27 October 2026.

Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum suspended Jean-Paul Kadiobo Kapongo, director general of SAEMAPE, on 21 October, and the suspension was formally communicated to government agencies and provincial authorities on 22 October. The order said Kapongo failed to take necessary measures to prevent illegal artisanal mining on concession areas, particularly in the copper- and cobalt-rich provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.

Revenue collectors inside concessions

The order also accused him of improperly establishing SAEMAPE revenue-collection services inside concession areas, depriving permit holders of the full use of their rights and exposing the state to potential liabilities from damages suffered by third parties. Kapongo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A wider crackdown

Congo is the world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, and is grappling with a resurgence in artisanal mining as higher metal prices draw thousands of informal miners into licensed areas, creating tensions with industrial operators including CMOC, Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines and Eurasian Resources Group. The suspension follows the detention of about 300 Chinese nationals in the copper belt, mainly around Kolwezi, as part of the crackdown, and authorities have also restarted operations at the Musompo trading centre near Kolwezi to improve transparency in mineral sales.

Sources: Reuters and MINING.COM.