Manono’s Lithium Reserves: A New Battleground for Global Powers in the DRC
The Rush for Coltan and Lithium in Congo’s Artisanal Mines
Before dawn breaks over Kitololo quarry in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), hundreds of artisanal miners – locally called “creuseurs” (diggers) – are already hard at work. Wearing rubber boots or simple sandals, armed with shovels and crowbars, men, women, and sometimes children tirelessly scour the earth for traces of coltan and cassiterite.
“The quarry expands every month,” explains Floribert (who declined to give his full name), a 21-year-old miner. “Last year, there were fields here where people grew rice and sweet potatoes. But now everyone prefers digging because we get paid immediately when we sell the roughly filtered minerals. On good days, we can earn more than 35,000 Congolese francs (about $10).”
The Digital Revolution’s Hidden Cost
Just one kilometer away, at the foot of Manono’s majestic cathedral in this town of about 180,000 people, Father Moïse Kiluba, a vocal advocate for his parishioners’ rights, assesses the situation: “Minerals make many people dream. There’s strong demand for coltan and cassiterite, essential components of the digital revolution that came with the widespread use of mobile phones. And there’s increasing talk about our lithium deposits, which are attracting world powers – first China, and now the United States.”
Global Powers Eye DRC’s Lithium Wealth
The mineral-rich region of Manono has become a focal point in the global race for critical minerals. As the world transitions to green energy and digital technologies, the DRC’s vast lithium reserves – crucial for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage – have placed this Central African nation at the center of geopolitical competition.
Artisanal miners work in precarious conditions, often without proper safety equipment or fair compensation, while multinational corporations and foreign governments negotiate deals for large-scale mining operations. The contrast highlights the complex dynamics of resource extraction in one of the world’s most mineral-rich yet impoverished nations.
A Glimmer of Hope
Despite the challenges, some see potential for positive change. The growing international interest could bring investment and development to the region, though concerns remain about whether local communities will benefit equitably from their natural resources.
As global demand for lithium continues to surge, the story of Manono’s miners reflects both the promise and peril of the world’s transition to cleaner energy and digital technologies. Their daily struggle underscores the human cost behind our smartphones and electric vehicles, while the geopolitical maneuvering reveals how critical minerals are reshaping international relations in the 21st century.
Source: Le Monde