Two of China’s largest and most important mining ventures in Africa encountered major problems this week. In Guinea, the government shut down the Sino-Australian joint venture to operate the massive Simandou iron ore mine, a major blow to Beijing’s ambitions to end its reliance on imported Australian ore.
And then in the DRC, authorities reportedly issued a notice to the Chinese management that runs the massive TFM copper/cobalt mine to halt extraction and production.
Francophone Editor and leading African mining expert Geraud Neema joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the significance of these two events and why the governments in both Conakry and Kinshasa are taking action against the Chinese.
Show Notes:
- Reuters: Guinea halts Simandou iron ore project, mulls talks with new partners by Saliou Samb
- Reuters: Congo administrator orders China’s CMOC to stop exports from Tenke cobalt mine by Aaron Ross
- Projet Afrique Chine: Update on the state of Sino-Congolese relations: Interview by Geraud Neema (in French)
