Copper suppliers and buyers in DR Congo (DRC)

Copper in DR Congo

The south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo sits on the Central African Copperbelt, which runs into northern Zambia. The two copper provinces are Lualaba, around Kolwezi, and Haut-Katanga, around Lubumbashi and Likasi. Mines range from very large to artisanal.

What is traded and how

• Cathode is the main product in offers. Much DRC cathode is made by solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW). Only some producers have an LME-registered brand, so many lots trade at a discount to the LME price.
• Concentrate exports have been restricted for years. A 2026 order tightened this again, with exemptions only for approved projects. Check the current position before you agree a concentrate deal.
• Anode and blister come from smelters inside the country.

Large producers sell under long-term contracts. Smaller lots are sold by local traders, often in bonded warehouses in Kolwezi or Lubumbashi, or at a port.

Routes, ports and paperwork

Most copper leaves by truck, about 32 to 36 tonnes each. Trucks cross into Zambia at Kasumbalesa, then head east to Dar es Salaam, south to Durban, or west to Walvis Bay. Rail runs west along the Lobito corridor to Angola.

The paperwork follows the truck. A real exporter can show, per truck: the export authorisation, the CEEC certificate, the certificate of origin, the customs declaration and the weighbridge ticket. DRC papers record weight in kilograms, not "MT". See how to spot a fake certificate of origin.

Scams to watch for

• One certificate of origin for hundreds of tonnes. Road cargo has papers per truck.
• Fake CEEC or customs papers, often edited PDFs with future dates or US date formats.
• "Cathode in a Lubumbashi warehouse" that no inspector may visit, offered at a large LME discount. See fake warehouses and recycled SKRs.
• Test-and-pay offers where you must pay for "testing" or "release" before you see the goods.

Some DRC individuals and companies are on UN, UK, EU or US sanctions lists. Screen every counterparty before you sign.

Finding verified buyers and sellers in DR Congo

Most DRC copper offers reach buyers through long chains of brokers on WhatsApp. Copper Supply lets you see who is behind a listing before you spend time on it.

• Free to join and to post. Post a buying requirement or a selling offer. Every listing is checked automatically for fraud signs before it goes live, and stays live for 90 days.
• Every member passes an ID check (ID document and liveness) before they can message anyone or accept an introduction. Companies can be checked against their official registry. Badges show exactly what was checked.
• You choose who you talk to. A member asks for an introduction to your listing. You see their profile and what was checked, and you decide.
• The right people see it fast. Members who trade that product get an email within minutes of a new listing, and every Monday all members get a market report of every live buyer and seller.
• Deal rooms keep the NCNDA, LOI or ICPO, offers, SPA, IMFPA, documents and e-signatures in one private room. A broker who brings buyer and seller together is protected for 2 years on the platform.
• Check papers before you act. Run an SKR, SPA, COA, certificate of origin or bank letter through the document fraud check. The first check is free.

Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals. Before you deal with anyone, search the public scam list.