Congo rebels want to sell critical minerals to US: report

The Rwanda-backed M23 Congolese rebel group is looking to sell critical minerals directly to the United States, The Economist reported.

M23, which controls large swaths of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is keen to pitch itself to the Trump administration as a potential supplier of strategically important minerals such as tantalum, tin and tungsten, the magazine says, citing interviews with leaders of the militia. The rebels are hoping that Washington’s push to secure non-Chinese sources of critical minerals could translate into political legitimacy and economic support.

Eastern Congo is among the world’s richest mineral regions, producing materials essential for electric vehicles, defense systems and electronics manufacturing. The DRC supplies most of the world’s cobalt and a significant portion of tantalum feedstock derived from coltan ore.

M23’s overture also reflects the rebels’ vulnerabilities, The Economist says. Despite gains on the battlefield and continued backing from Rwanda, the group remains under intense international scrutiny over allegations of mineral smuggling, violence and human-rights abuses. United Nations experts have accused Rwanda and M23 of overseeing large-scale illicit exports of minerals from occupied Congolese territory.

In December, the U.S. signed a “strategic partnership” with the DRC. It subsequently imposed sanctions on the army of Rwanda.

Key revenue source

Coltan mined in the eastern DRC’s Rubaya area, smuggled to Rwanda in large volumes, is one of M23’s key sources of financing, London-based investigative group Global Witness says.

Rubaya’s mines produce around 15% of the world’s coltan, which is widely used in electronic products such as smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. The mines have been under M23’s control since April 2024, generating an estimated $800,000 a month in revenue, Global Witness says.

M23’s proposal comes as Washington steps up efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled mineral supply chains. Since returning to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has worked to secure access to critical minerals globally, including in Africa. The DRC’s government has separately courted U.S. investment and security assistance in exchange for preferential access to mineral assets.

Chinese companies dominate much of the DRC’s industrial mining sector, particularly in copper and cobalt. Washington has sought to counter that influence through financing initiatives, diplomatic engagement and support for U.S. mining companies operating in the country.

Still, analysts warn that any direct engagement with armed groups risks legitimizing conflict minerals and undermining international certification systems designed to prevent supply chains from financing violence. Conflict in the eastern DRC has displaced millions of people over the past decade, while armed factions continue to profit from taxing miners, traders and transport routes.