Belgian museum opens Congo mining maps archive to the public
The archive contains millions of maps and geological records of the Congo.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
The Africa Museum in Tervuren, Belgium, plans to make available a huge archive of maps and geological records of the Democratic Republic of Congo dating back to the colonial era, in a move aimed at supporting scientific research and boosting economic opportunities, coinciding with the rise of global competition for vital minerals.
A Belgian museum opens its Congo mining map archive to the public amid a global race for rare minerals.
According to Africa News, the archive contains millions of documents that document the geological survey work carried out in Congo before its independence in 1960, including maps, field notes and files of Belgian mining companies that were active in the country during the colonial era.
The museum pledged to digitize the archive's contents and make them available to the public within five years, with funding from the European Union, after rejecting last year an offer from an American company to undertake the digitization process in exchange for exclusive access to the documents.
Museum officials confirmed that the archive will be made available to authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to support research and exploration, help identify new mineral deposits, and attract investment.
The museum's director, Bart Overy, explained that the documents represent great scientific and economic value, noting that they include records deposited by Belgian companies after their activities in Congo ceased in the 1960s.
For his part, geologist Francois Kervin, who is supervising the project, said that the archive contains accurate field information collected over decades, including data on copper and gold, along with early indications of deposits of cobalt and lithium, which have become among the most important strategic minerals used in modern industries.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the world's richest countries in terms of mineral resources, possessing huge reserves of copper, cobalt, coltan and lithium, making it a focus of attention for global powers in light of the increasing demand for minerals used in mobile phones, electric cars and defense industries.
