PRESS RELEASE: PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GECAMINES SA AND BRGM

Gécamines SA and BRGM conclude a bilateral cooperation partnership in the field of geosciences and transition metals.

Paris, April 30, 2024 – Générale des Carrières et des Mines SA (Gécamines SA) and the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) concluded today, on the sidelines of the State visit of His Excellency Félix-Antoine TSHISEKEDI TSHILOMBO, a framework agreement to cooperate in the field of geosciences in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This signing formalizes the desire of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the French Republic to revitalize
bilateral economic and industrial cooperation in the field of energy transition metals.

This commitment was demonstrated during the State Visit of His Excellency the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, to Kinshasa on March 4, 2023, through the signing of a joint roadmap for the energy transition and the production of metals
essential for decarbonized technologies. Today, for BRGM and Gécamines SA, this commitment culminates in the State Visit to
Paris of His Excellency the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This partnership focuses both on the protection and responsible development of the mining heritage of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also on the revival and strengthening of the geological policy of Gécamines SA.

By Decision of the Council of Ministers of March 15, 2024, the Head of State instructed the State-owned companies to identify, analyze, and legally protect their historical tailings and backfill sites in order to put an end to their illegal exploitation. In this context, the BRGM will support Gécamines SA in mapping and certifying its secondary mines and will assist it in the industrial development of environmentally sound secondary reprocessing methods.

BRGM will also support Gécamines SA for a better understanding and control of its so-called “greenfield” assets in order to support it in the development of its significant existing primary mineral resources, in the field of copper and cobalt, but also tin, zinc, gallium, germanium and other strategic metals.

At the same time, BRGM agreed to support Gécamines SA in rebuilding the tools enabling it to know and control the mineral and mining resources of its subsoil, in particular through the digitization of its physical and geophysical archives, the training of its staff and support for the structural and technical reorganization of its Geology Department.

This ambitious partnership reflects Gécamines SA’s desire to draw inspiration from international best practices to protect and responsibly enhance its mining assets and the renewed interest the company is generating among its international partners.

“We are extremely pleased to resume our shared history with the BRGM. Gécamines SA has forged strong historical ties with this institution in the past, ties which are being renewed today and which contribute to the realization of the shared commitment of the Democratic Republic of Congo and France to the development of the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the reconstruction of a national mining infrastructure to serve the economic and social development of the country.”

Guy-Robert LUKAMA-NKUNZI , Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gécamines SA.

“BRGM’s contribution to rebuilding leading geological expertise within Gécamines SA was a priority for us. I am very optimistic about the continuation of this cooperation between actors who know each other well, and I hope it will be as rapid as possible in the interest of Gécamines SA.”

Placide NKALA BASADILUA , General Manager of Gécamines SA.

“It was a priority for us to support the Democratic Republic of Congo, the largest French-speaking country and one of the world’s most strategic areas for minerals and resources related to the energy transition. We are pleased to share French expertise with our Congolese counterparts and to actively participate in the ambitious program to rebuild Congo’s national geological expertise and infrastructure. As a public institution, we are thus fully playing our role in supporting the DRC’s economic development by enabling the development of mining activities that respect the environment and local communities. We are also fully playing our role in promoting France’s cultural and economic influence among our partners and in service of the energy transition.”

Mr. Christophe POINSSOT , Deputy Director General and Scientific Director of the BRGM

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