Congo-Brazzaville is often confused with and largely overshadowed by its neighbour the DRC, but aims to change that, writes Dr Nicolaas C Steenkamp.

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Washed by the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest, Congo-Brazzaville – officially the Republic of the Congo – is a country located in Central Africa. It shares borders with Gabon to the west, Cameroon to the northwest, the Central African Republic to the northeast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the east and south.

Most of the country is covered by plateaus and basins, with the most prominent being the Mayombe Plateau in the west and the Niari Basin in the south. Numerous rivers crisscross the land, with the most important being the Congo River, which forms part of its eastern border and is navigable for much of the Congo’s length.

With a tropical climate of high temperatures and humidity prevailing throughout the year, the country experiences two distinct seasons – a rainy season from March to May and a dry season from June to February. Congo-Brazzaville is home to extensive tropical rainforests, particularly in the north and east. These forests are among the most biodiverse in the world. They are a source of timber, which is an important export, however, deforestation is a major environmental concern.

Congo-Brazzaville was colonised by the French from 1882. The country gained its independence in 1960, and until 1990, Congo- Brazzaville was a one-party state under the leadership of the Congolese Labor Party. In 1992, the country transitioned to a multiparty democracy, however, elections have been marred by violence and allegations of fraud. Sassou Nguesso has been the president of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997, with a brief interruption from 1998 to 2002.

 

Economy and infrastructure

While there are some major roads and railways, the overall transportation infrastructure is often inadequate, particularly in rural areas. This often hinders economic development and trade. The country has, however, made progress in improving energy access, but challenges remain in ensuring reliable and affordable electricity supply. The telecommunications sector has also seen growth, with increasing mobile phone penetration and internet connectivity, but gaps persist in rural areas.

 

Geology and mining

The Republic of Congo is a major crude oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, providing about 50% of the government’s revenue and 90% of export earnings. Almost all the oil is derived offshore. The economy’s dependence on oil makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices and although the government has been working to diversify the economy, progress has been slow. Poverty and unemployment remain significant challenges.

The northwest and the southern central part of the country are mostly underlain by Precambrian rocks of Archean to Neoproterozoic age, while the east of the country is covered by Quaternary alluvial sediments deposited by the Congo Basin. The coastal basin has Cretaceous to Quaternary marine sediments with Precambrian rocks of the Mayombe Supergroup.

Two major base metal deposits rich in copper, lead and zinc occur in the M’Fouati region, namely Djenguile and Yanga-Koubenza.

Potash production is a relatively recent development in Congo- Brazzaville with the country boasting significant potash deposits, which are used in fertilizers. Kore Potash owns a 97% stake in the Kola and DX (Dougou Extension) potash (sylvinite) projects in the Sintoukola Basin, while privately-owned Kanga Potash has been granted a mining and production licence for the Kanga potash project.

The country also has considerable resources of sedimentary phosphates that form a string of outcrops extending over 50km along the coast, with known larger deposits that occur at Holle and at Sintou Kola, about 50km away from Pointe Noire. Phosphate nodules of Neoproterozoic age have been found near Comba.

Congo-Brazzaville is a producer of diamonds, although production is not as significant as in some other African countries. The diamond deposits are known to occur as placers in the Bikosi conglomerates and are of probable Lower Cretaceous age.

Gold production takes place on a relatively small-scale in the country, although the Archean Caillu Massif yields numerous deposits of gold, which are related to the amphibolites.

In 2022, Tantalex Lithium Resources reported that heavy liquid separation (HLS) metallurgical test work on a 331kg composite bulk sample from the K-dump at its Manono reclamation project revealed more than 6% lithium oxide spodumene.

The country’s iron ore projects have proven to be difficult. There are two projects currently, Mbalam-Nabeba Iron Ore Project – a large- scale project involving a railway and a port to export iron ore from the Republic of the Congo to Gabon – and the Zanaga Iron Ore Project – still in early stages of development.

Congo-Brazzaville’s mining sector offers significant opportunities for growth and development and the country’s rich mineral resources, coupled with its strategic location, make it an attractive destination for foreign investment. However, addressing the challenges of environmental sustainability and corruption and governance will be essential to realising the full potential of the mining sector.

Dr Nicolaas C Steenkamp Dr Nicolaas C Steenkamp is an independent consultant, specialising in geological, geotechnical and geometallurgical projects and mining project management. He has over two decades of industry experience with global exposure. (ncs.contract@gmail.com)