KoBold lithium permits in DRC intensify Manono stakes and battery-metal geopolitics

KoBold lithium

KoBold lithium permits in DRC widened the US start-up’s footprint with seven new exploration titles. The KoBold lithium permits in DRC cover lithium and other strategic minerals in Manono and Malemba Nkulu. As a result, KoBold lithium permits in DRC raise the project’s profile and the geopolitical temperature.

Manono resource scale and contested ownership

Manono ranks among the largest undeveloped lithium deposits. Estimates range from 400mn to 669mn tonnes of ore. At 1pc lithium, output could support 500mn to 1bn EV batteries. However, ownership remains contested around Dathcom and overlapping licences. AVZ claims at least 70pc of Dathcom after an ICC ruling. The firm also challenges a Zijin-linked permit overlap. Boundaries for KoBold’s new permits are not fully confirmed.

US critical minerals strategy and DRC governance risks

KoBold’s move aligns with a wider US push for critical minerals. The company signed a non-binding deal to buy AVZ’s Manono stake in May. That would mark the first significant US investment in DRC mining since 2016. Meanwhile, China’s position in African battery metals remains strong. Therefore, the permits add competition for future supply chains. Yet governance risks in the DRC stay material. Overlapping claims and opaque negotiations threaten timelines and capital discipline.

The Metalnomist Commentary

The permits strengthen KoBold’s options but do not resolve Manono’s legal knots. Watch licence boundary confirmations, arbitration outcomes, and any shift in offtake diplomacy as OEMs seek secure spodumene exposure.