Bezos and Gates — backed Mining Firm in Data Dispute Over Congo Mineral Archives. Brussels, Belgium — A contentious standoff has emerged between US mining firm KoBold Metals and Belgian authorities over access to colonial-era geological records from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). KoBold Metals, which is backed by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, is seeking access to the archives, housed at Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa, to inform its AI-driven exploration for critical minerals.
The company argues that the century — old documents, crucial for mapping deposits of lithium, cobalt, and copper, are essential for deploying its exploration tools effectively.
However, Belgian authorities have refused to hand over the original records, stating that they must be digitised under public oversight before any access is granted. KoBold Metals recently raised $537 million in fresh funding to expand its search for critical minerals worldwide.
The funds are intended to support exploration across five continents. Despite the impasse, the company has signed an agreement with Kinshasa to assess lithium potential in the southern Manono region.
The Africa Museum, which holds the archives, has cautioned against overestimating the value of the historical records.
François Kervyn, head of the museum’s earth sciences department, noted that historical records alone cannot pinpoint mineral discoveries. Nevertheless, Bart Ouvry, the museum director, acknowledged the documents’value, particularly for referencing minerals overlooked in the past but now vital for modern technologies.
Belgium has pledged to return the archives to the Congolese government after digitisation is complete.
KoBold has proposed conducting the digitisation in — house to accelerate its exploration timeline, but the museum has rejected this, fearing it would create an unfair commercial advantage and conflict with its public scientific mission.
The situation remains a focal point for discussions on scientific custodianship versus commercial urgency.
Meanwhile, the European Union has committed funding to support the broader digitisation effort.
A team of scientists began work in February 2026, with archivists scheduled to join in March. Officials anticipate that cataloguing and digitising the vast archive could take several years before the data becomes widely accessible. For investors and policymakers, the outcome of this dispute could shape the future of AI-driven mineral exploration and the broader debate over ownership of colonial-era scientific data in resource-rich African states.
Further details are expected as the situation unfolds.
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Source: Africa.
