# DRC mineral production and export trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/drc-mineral-production-and-export-trends
> Updated: 2026-09-11T05:34:23.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing shifts in its mineral export landscape. In the first half of 2026, the country saw a significant rise in zinc production and export revenues, largely driven by the Kipushi mine in the Haut-Katanga region. This mine, a joint venture between Gécamines and Ivanhoe Mines, contributed 135,221 tons of the country's total 144,140 tons of zinc produced during that period.

Parallel to these reported increases in zinc, research suggests that substantial, unreported quantities of uranium may be exiting the country. Due to the natural geologic co-occurrence of uranium and cobalt in the Copperbelt region, experts indicate that uranium can be difficult to separate during extraction and may be moved alongside cobalt. While the Shinkolobwe mine has been officially closed since 2004, the shared chemical behavior of these minerals suggests potential illicit movement of uranium despite a lack of official reporting in recent decades.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-11: DR Congo uranium exports suspected to be occurring unreported

Geological research suggests substantial unreported uranium is being exported from the DRC, likely hidden due to its natural co-occurrence and similar chemical processing with cobalt in the Copperbelt.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dr-congo-uranium-exports-suspected-to-be-occurring-unreported

### 2026-08-24: Kipushi mine drives surge in DRC zinc production and exports

Zinc production in the DRC is surging, led by the Kipushi mine's output. With zinc prices at a four-year high, the country is significantly increasing its mineral export revenues.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kipushi-mine-drives-surge-in-drc-zinc-production-and-exports

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Cite as: DRC mineral production and export trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/drc-mineral-production-and-export-trends