In a major turn of events, a mountain in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo collapsed that exposed massive amounts of copper.
A video capturing the dramatic collapse of the mountain has surfaced on various social media platforms, showing a large crowd present at the scene as the mountain collapses, with people running for safety.
The Katanga region of the DR Congo is known for its vast mineral wealth. It is situated within Africa’s copper belt, a 450-kilometer zone running from northwest Luanshya in Zambia to Katanga in the Congo.
For a century, this region has been a major hub for copper mining. In the 1950s, it was the world’s largest copper producer.
Currently, the region contributes more than ten percent of the world’s copper reserves, primarily secured from Late Precambrian sedimentary deposits.
The copper reserves are a major contributor to the economies of Zambia and Congo that promote infrastructure development and provide jobs opportunities in the region.
Copper and cobalt are mainly sourced for battery production as we all know that the world now moves toward clean energy and the rising demand for clean energy technologies has also increased the demand for metals like copper and cobalt.
These metals are essential for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
