US-backed miner KoBold Metals has obtained seven exploration permits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, expanding its footprint in one of the world’s richest regions for battery minerals. The permits, granted around the Manono lithium basin, allow the company to advance exploration of a deposit that has long been considered among the largest untapped reserves globally, as outlined by Reuters.
The award deepens KoBold’s entry into Congo after it signed a framework agreement in July to position itself for development rights over parts of the Manono project, which has been the subject of prolonged disputes involving AVZ Minerals and Zijin Mining, as highlighted in Reuters coverage.
Industry outlets report that the permits cluster close to the main Manono resource, enhancing KoBold’s potential to integrate lithium exploration with its artificial intelligence–driven mineral mapping technology, as detailed by Mining.com and The Northern Miner.
Analysts view the permits as a strategic step that could secure KoBold’s role in diversifying global lithium supply chains, though legal disputes over the Manono ownership structure remain a significant risk to future large-scale production, as further reported in sector filings.
