Mining site

Tombolo

Artisanal pilot site of Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) in Lualaba, chosen in 2024 as the pilot that Cobalt for Development supports. Gécamines granted EGC exclusive rights over five mining squares at Tombolo and Kanunka under a sublease (amodiation) that DeskEco dates to February 2024 and C4D's paper places in 2023 in its chronology and in early 2024 in its narrative; DeskEco gives the two areas as 2.51 km² and 1.72 km². EGC's 2024 sampling found three zones over 0.5 km² at Tombolo, from 460 samples averaging 1,410 ppm copper and 749 ppm cobalt. Its reported cobalt peak differs by source: EGC gives 16,600 ppm (about 1.66%), and DeskEco, relaying EGC, gives 1.16%. C4D's paper says the Tombolo study and mine design were finalised in 2025 and that the final investment decision was pending; EGC called it its “projet pilote de Tombolo” in July 2026. In August 2026 the communities of Tombolo, Kyamabungu and neighbouring villages met at Mpwene to voice their concerns about the project. Its territory and mining title are not established.

Evidence of commodities

site-specific copper and cobalt

Sources support the description and the individual connections below. Publication and checking dates belong to the evidence: when it was published, and when this Hub last read it.

Documented relationships

Reported means the cited source describes the relationship at its evidence date. Historical relationships refer to an earlier period. Announced agreements may not have been implemented. None of these labels confirms that trade continues today.