The agreement comes as mineral processing and downstream investment take center stage at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026, taking place October 14–16 in Cape Town. Under the theme Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value, AMW 2026 will convene key mining stakeholders from the DRC, including representatives from the Center for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification of Mineral Substances, alongside U.S. institutions such as the U.S. Commercial Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.

USTDA’s support will assess potential feedstock suppliers for the proposed refinery, develop its technical design and establish the economic and financial parameters required for the project’s development and long-term viability. The study could also create opportunities for U.S. companies to supply technology, equipment and technical services for the refinery, linking U.S. expertise with the DRC’s efforts to increase domestic processing and capture greater value from its copper and cobalt resources.

Beyond direct mineral processing, USTDA is supporting enabling infrastructure across the region. In early September, the agency awarded a $3 million grant to Anzana Electric Group for a feasibility study targeting increased hydropower generation and improved electricity distribution in the DRC and Zambia.

The project is designed to improve power reliability for mining and industrial operations along the Lobito Corridor. In the DRC, the study will assess existing distribution infrastructure, mining power demand and potential generation rehabilitation, while work in Zambia will include engineering and procurement planning, economic and financial analysis and environmental assessments.

USTDA’s regional engagement also includes support for Metalex Africa Zambia to evaluate expansion of its Kazozu copper-cobalt operations. The feasibility study is assessing the potential to produce up to 25,000 additional metric tons of copper and cobalt concentrates annually while connecting the project with U.S. buyers and suppliers.

Together, the Buenassa, Anzana and Metalex initiatives demonstrate a growing U.S. focus on supporting Africa’s mineral value chains through project preparation, technical assistance, infrastructure development and connections with international markets.

For African producers, these partnerships can help address technical and infrastructure constraints affecting mineral value addition, while creating opportunities for U.S. companies across equipment, engineering, technology and offtake.

These investment themes will form part of the wider critical minerals and value-addition discussions at AMW 2026, where Buenassa CEO Eddy Kioni will join a high-level panel examining how international investment can support Africa’s mineral value chains.

For more information, visit www.african-miningweek.com