The Democratic Republic of Congo has yet to establish a clear and comprehensive framework for identifying strategic and critical minerals, despite their growing importance to the global energy transition, according to NGO Resource Matters.
In its December 2025 report on local development of energy-transition minerals, Resource Matters notes that the DRC currently classifies only cobalt, coltan and germanium as strategic minerals. The organisation argues that this narrow list excludes other minerals with significant economic and fiscal potential, limiting their recognition and strategic management.
Resource Matters highlights that definitions of strategic and critical minerals vary by country. Strategic minerals are generally those vital to national sovereignty and economic stability, often linked to energy, industry, defence or technology. Critical minerals, meanwhile, are characterised by supply risks stemming from geographic concentration, geopolitical exposure or limited substitutes.
In the DRC, however, there is no consensus on which minerals fall into either category. Existing classifications differ across institutions and sources, underscoring the absence of an agreed national approach.
The NGO warns that this lack of a coherent conceptual framework undermines the effectiveness of the country’s mineral policy. It calls for a transparent and inclusive review to clearly define priority minerals, arguing that such a step is essential for strengthening the DRC’s position in the global energy transition.
