U. S. Mining Company Misleads About Congo Operations

U.S. Firm Exaggerates Mining Experience in Congo Deal

A U.S. company that helped the Trump administration secure minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo has been found to exaggerate its mining experience. The firm, Virtus Minerals, purchased a set of mines from Chemaf for $30 million in March. On its website it claimed to run a copper and cobalt processing plant, but documents show the plant has been shut down since 2012. Court papers and insiders confirm that Virtus never actually took over the plant.

The deal was the first U.S. investment under a partnership aimed at drawing American money into Congo’s mining sector. Washington wanted to reduce China’s control over the country’s resources, especially cobalt used in electric‑car batteries. A Congolese official said that Virtus’s leadership background, including military service, helped win approval. The U.S. State Department praised the purchase as a flagship investment and said it would spark more private sector interest.

Critics question whether Congo’s government did enough checks. An NGO leader noted that the country must be sure a buyer has technical, financial and operational capacity. The plant’s owner, CAM Resources, still holds the title and has not restarted operations. Attempts to sell the site fell through because buyers could not pay the full price.

Virtus’s subsidiary, ROK Metals, still promoted the plant as active. In June 2024, USAID granted it two million dollars to boost production. The grant was later suspended because ROK Metals could not prove ownership of the facility. The U.S. State Department did not comment on USAID’s decision.