Industrial mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) started in the early 20th century and has known ups and downs along with the price of metals, and the world demand.
In the last decades, the need for strategic metals for IT and green tech has caused a rush for copper, cobalt, tantalum and, more recently, lithium. Besides, gold mining also develops in many parts of the country. Since the turn of the 21st century, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) have coexisted with industrial exploitation, by major mining companies and commodities traders. Mining and mineral processing in DRC have a profound impact on mineworkers and citizens, society and the geosphere.
Some of these impacts have been documented, such as labour issues around artisanal and small-scale mining or water pollution, but the narrative on mining in the DRC is highly influenced by unnuanced and mediatized accounts. This conference aims to bring together scientific research from multiple disciplines to take stock of the impact of mining and mineral processing so far, and identify the major challenges for the near future. The energy transition and technological innovations as well as geopolitical shifts and the presence of China in turn have a profound impact on the Congolese mining sector, which needs to be understood.
The added value of this conference is to bring together research from disciplines such as anthropology, social and political sciences, economy, earth and environmental sciences, toxicology, medicine in an attempt to learn from each other and create more positive outcomes for humans and nature in the DRC.
The Academy welcomes concise, informative and updated talks and posters in all these disciplines. Different viewpoints from various disciplines are most welcome. Speakers are encouraged to present talks that are understandable to a broad multi-disciplinary audience.
Deadline to submit a proposal: 17/2/2025