The Democratic Republic of Congo has signed a five-year agreement with U.S. firm Atlas Park to use artificial intelligence for advanced geological mapping of the country’s vast mineral resources, the companies announced at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town.
Under the agreement, Atlas Park will analyze historical geological records and conduct new surveys across the country. Findings will be shared with the national geological service in Kinshasa to guide future exploration strategy and attract investment. Both parties declined to disclose the value of the deal.
“Nowhere in the world has more potential for exploration than the DRC,” Atlas Park CEO Kai Han said. “We want to make money by investing in exploration and to do that effectively we need to create a better data environment.”
The partnership reflects the DRC’s accelerating push to draw foreign technology and capital as global demand surges for copper and cobalt — minerals the country holds in abundance and which are essential for clean energy systems and AI technologies. Kinshasa has recently signed additional data digitization and exploration agreements with American and Japan-based firms as it works to modernize aging geological databases and improve transparency in the sector.
The deal has nonetheless prompted debate among leaders in neighboring South Africa, who argue African nations should collaborate more closely with one another rather than rely on individual arrangements with external powers.
For the DRC, upgrading its geological knowledge base is seen as central to unlocking the full value of the minerals the world increasingly needs.
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