This reform is part of broader efforts to improve governance in the mining sector. The 20,000 personnel, who still need to undergo training, will be tasked with protecting large-scale mining operations, regulating artisanal mines, and enhancing the traceability of mineral exports.

Congolese authorities have not yet revealed the name of the private company responsible for training this paramilitary unit.

Training for the mining guards could begin in September, while the first battalion is scheduled for deployment in the Katanga region in January 2027.

The army and police have traditionally been stationed around mining sites. However, in some provinces such as Lualaba, private security agents are also utilized. These local agents are recruited and trained by local companies registered with security services.

“Currently, security at mining sites here in Lualaba is ensured by the mining police, together with various security firms. Private guards are hired by mining titleholders to secure their sites,” notes Henri Kasongo Mutata, coordinator of the diocesan commission for natural resources and environment in the province.

making mines less crime-ridden

The DRC possesses enormous reserves of copper, cobalt, tin, coltan, gold, lithium, and zinc. Although agreements allow companies—particularly American ones—to exploit certain mining sites, many remain inaccessible due to the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country. For example, the Rubaya coltan mine, one of the largest worldwide, is under the control of AFC-M23 rebels. This is a major concern for Crispine Ngena, an ecofeminist activist focused on women’s participation in natural resource management.

“The first challenge is that the sites are militarized. I don’t see rights being respected in these jungles. I don’t see standards being applied. Second, does the Congolese state have the capacity to make mines less crime-ridden and ensure foreign companies comply with norms and respect rights, especially those of indigenous peoples and women in these already lawless areas?”

Separately, for several months, private security teams linked to Erik Prince, founder of the former Blackwater company, have been deployed in several mines around Kolwezi and Kisangani in Lualaba and Tshopo provinces. Their primary mission is reportedly to secure mines, improve tax collection, and combat smuggling.