Exclusively visit the Lubumbashi Heap Treatment Company (STL) with Heleina Matza
As part of her mission as Acting Special Coordinator of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGI), Heleina Matza recently paid a visit to the Lubumbashi Terril Treatment Company (STL). Accompanied by a delegation from the White House and the American Embassy in the DRC, Ms. Matza explored the investment opportunities offered by this company specializing in the processing of mining slag and the extraction of metals such as copper, cobalt, zinc and germanium.
The main objective of the visit of Madame Matza and her delegation was to discover the industrial possibilities of the Greater Katanga region, with the aim of supporting economic development and emerging investments. In particular, the STL visit focused on the potential of this company within the framework of the corridor project linking the DRC, Zambia and Angola, which is part of the PGI’s overall infrastructure program.
Welcomed by the General Director and other STL officials, Ms. Matza was able to visit the company’s new hydrometallurgical unit located on the former Gécamines factories. This visit was an opportunity to discover in detail the slag processing activities and to understand the economic opportunities, in particular the production of germanium which represents 30% of the world supply.
The journey of the Acting Special Coordinator of the PGI was not limited to the STL. Indeed, the American delegation then visited Angola, Zambia and Belgium, as part of a tour aimed at promoting investments in the infrastructure of the Lobito corridor and the Zambia-Lobito railway.
The Global Infrastructure Investment Partnership was established at the 2022 G7 and aims to close the infrastructure gap in emerging economies. The US government has committed to mobilizing $200 billion over a five-year period to support this project. Madame Matza’s visit to the STL demonstrates the interest shown by the PGI in industrial opportunities in the DRC and more specifically in the Greater Katanga region.
This visit marks an important milestone in collaboration between the United States and the DRC for infrastructure development and investment. The STL, as a major producer of germanium and a key player in the processing of mining slag, is called upon to play an essential role in this dynamic of economic growth.
Stay connected to follow the progress of the Global Infrastructure Investment Partnership and to discover emerging opportunities in the infrastructure sector in the DRC and around the world.
Sources:
– https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/10/23/heleina-matza-visite-la-stl/
– https://fatshimetrie.org/blog/2023/10/23/les-investments-du-pgi-en-afrique-le-politique-americain-sengage/