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In a major development for U.S. mineral strategy in Africa, KoBold Metals, a California-based company backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has signed a landmark agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to explore and develop the Manono lithium project — one of the world’s richest untapped lithium deposits.
The deal, witnessed by President Félix Tshisekedi and U.S. Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn, was signed last week (17 July) by Congo’s Mines Minister Kizito Pakabomba and KoBold DRC’s Managing Director Benjamin Katabuka. The agreement grants KoBold exploration rights to the contentious Roche Dure site, which has been mired in a legal dispute involving Australian firm AVZ Minerals. KoBold, known for using artificial intelligence to locate mineral deposits, aims to help unlock Manono’s potential while supporting the digitization of Congo’s geological data.
The move is seen as part of a broader U.S. strategy to reduce dependency on Chinese-controlled supply chains for critical minerals essential to electric vehicle batteries and clean energy technologies. China currently dominates Congo’s mining sector, but the new agreement signals a U.S. comeback. Beyond minerals, the deal also symbolizes deeper U.S.-Congo cooperation, coinciding with American-backed peace initiatives in eastern Congo. KoBold’s entry could reshape regional mining dynamics and global battery supply chains. is a critical supplier of key minerals for the global energy transition.
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