KoBold Files Five New Exploration License Applications After Congo Reopens Mining Cadastre

The Democratic Republic of Congo has received five new exploration-license applications from KoBold Exploration DRC SA, a day after authorities reopened the country’s mining cadastre following a two-month suspension, according to the state registry CAMI. The filings, submitted on February 6, are presented by KoBold as part of the implementation of a cooperation agreement signed with the Congolese government in July 2025. CAMI said discussions were held in Kinshasa between KoBold’s local management and senior officials on the processing of the applications and the status of the project.

The reopening of the cadastre on February 3 followed what authorities described as a clean-up of mining title records and data. KoBold’s move builds on steps taken last year, when the company received seven digitized exploration certificates as part of a broader effort by Kinshasa to tighten oversight and improve traceability in the allocation of mining rights. Mining permits authorize exploration rather than production but are a prerequisite for field programs and future development.

The July 2025 agreement, signed in the presence of President Félix Tshisekedi, is part of Congo’s push to attract U.S. investment and position itself in global supply chains for strategic minerals. It covers the digitization of geological data, the use of advanced exploration technologies and the development of the Manono lithium project in Tanganyika province, one of Africa’s most closely watched undeveloped lithium assets.