Kipushi mine drives surge in DRC zinc production and exports

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeing a significant rise in zinc production and export revenues, driven primarily by the Kipushi mine in the Haut-Katanga region. The mine, a joint venture between Gécamines (38%) and the Canadian group Ivanhoe Mines (62%), resumed operations in mid-2024 after a long period of inactivity.

In the first half of 2026, the DRC produced 144,140 tons of zinc, with the Kipushi mine accounting for 135,221 tons of that total. This follows a period of rapid growth; export volumes rose to 112,206 tons in the first half of 2026, compared to 93,288 tons in the same period of 2025 and only 1,360 tons in the first half of 2024.

Zinc prices have recently reached a four-year high, trading at approximately $3,823 per metric ton. Ivanhoe Mines expects Kipushi to produce up to 290,000 tons of zinc concentrate in the 2026 financial year, up from 203,168 tons in 2025. This surge in output and favorable market pricing offers the DRC an opportunity to diversify its mineral exports beyond copper and cobalt.