DRC Mining Licence Verification: Why a Valid Licence Is Not Enough

DRC mining licence verification is not simply a check that a licence document exists.

A mining licence can be authentic and current while the position behind it still carries unresolved questions about its holder, cadastral standing, perimeter, surface-rights payments, transfers or administrative exposure.

For a buyer, lender or offtaker, the practical question is whether the mining right and the file supporting it can be relied upon on the date capital, contracts or cargo are about to move.

A licence is evidence. It is not the complete verification.

What a DRC mining licence actually proves

A permis d’exploitation or permis de recherches evidences that a mining right was granted to a named holder over a defined perimeter. CAMI, the Cadastre Minier, is responsible for the cadastral administration and registration of mining and quarry rights in the DRC.

The licence does not, by itself, establish the right’s current standing on the date of a transaction. It does not confirm that applicable surface rights have been paid, that the holder remains in good standing, that the perimeter is free from overlap or dispute, or that no subsequent transfer or encumbrance affects the position.

The document is therefore the starting point for DRC mining licence verification. It is not the final answer.

Where a valid DRC mining licence can still fail

The risks that matter to a transaction do not always appear on the face of the licence. They sit in the current cadastral, administrative and transaction records behind it.

Surface-rights record

Applicable annual surface rights must be tested against the payment record. Arrears may place a mining right at risk of administrative action, subject to the procedures in the DRC Mining Code and Mining Regulations, while the licence document itself still appears clean.

Current standing and administrative risk

The existence of a certificate does not establish current cadastre standing. The holder’s position, applicable obligations and any recorded administrative action must be checked for the date on which the transaction will rely on the right.

Perimeter overlap and disputes

The cadastral perimeter may be recorded while an overlapping claim, boundary issue or pending dispute affects part of the position. The map, coordinates and relevant records need to be reconciled rather than read separately.

Transfers and encumbrances

The holder named on the licence may not be the counterparty presenting the transaction. Relevant cadastral, corporate and transaction records should be tested for transfers, pledges or other interests affecting the right.

Timing

A licence is a dated document. Standing can change between its issue date, the date a file was assembled and the date capital or contracts move. DRC mining licence verification must therefore be tied to the actual decision date.

Why licence verification matters before an acquisition, loan or prepayment

In an acquisition, secured loan, offtake or prepayment, the mining right may anchor the value and enforceability of the entire position. The price, security, supply expectation or insurance decision can all depend on assumptions about that right.

If the holder, standing, perimeter or administrative position is weaker than the file suggests, the exposure may have been mispriced before the transaction begins.

This is where DRC mining permit risk stops being a legal footnote and becomes a commercial decision.

How to verify a DRC mining licence before relying on it

In my work, the minimum verification is tied to the decision date and covers six points:

1. The current cadastral position and standing of the mining right.

2. The surface-rights payment record and any identified arrears.

3. Any recorded administrative action, dispute or non-performance issue.

4. The perimeter, coordinates and any relevant overlap or boundary issue.

5. The holder, counterparty and available transfer or encumbrance records.

6. Whether the licence type permits the activity assumed by the transaction.

A permis de recherches and a permis d’exploitation do not authorise the same activity. The licence type, holder and current standing must all agree with what the transaction assumes.

A certificate can evidence the grant of a right. Verification establishes whether the position can be relied upon today.

How HAR-CHE approaches a licence question

HAR-CHE is a London verification desk that tests live DRC and Guinea mining files before capital, contracts or cargo move.

For a mining-licence question, the relevant engagement is a Decision Note: a written assessment of the current cadastral position, surface-rights trail, holder and title evidence. Each finding is tied to the evidence reviewed and the date of the decision.

The scope and fixed fee are agreed in writing before work begins. A Decision Note is generally £6,000 to £8,000 at scoping and delivered within ten working days from cleared payment and receipt of complete documents.

HAR-CHE verifies the factual position. It does not broker the transaction, provide a legal opinion or value the asset. Congolese counsel interprets the applicable law and acts on the findings.

Where the question concerns a live DRC copper or cobalt shipment rather than the mining right itself, the relevant engagement is a Shipment File Check.

Frequently asked questions about DRC mining licence verification

How do you verify a DRC mining licence?

Verification tests the current cadastral position and standing, the surface-rights payment record, the holder, the perimeter, relevant disputes and available transfer or encumbrance records. Each finding should be tied to the transaction date rather than merely to the date shown on the certificate.

Is a DRC mining permit the same as ownership of the mining asset?

No. A permit evidences a mining right granted to a named holder over a defined perimeter. It does not, by itself, establish ownership of every underlying asset or confirm the mining right’s current standing.

What is CAMI in the DRC?

CAMI, the Cadastre Minier, is the DRC public service responsible for the cadastral administration and registration of mining and quarry rights. A public map or licence record is useful evidence, but it does not replace a current standing check for a transaction.

Can a DRC mining right face administrative action while a licence certificate still exists?

Yes. Arrears or failures to meet applicable obligations may expose a mining right to administrative action under the procedures established by the DRC Mining Code and Mining Regulations. The certificate itself may not display that current exposure.

How long does HAR-CHE licence verification take and what does it cost?

A HAR-CHE Decision Note is scoped at a fixed fee, generally £6,000 to £8,000, and delivered within ten working days from cleared payment and receipt of complete documents.

Frequently asked questions about DRC mining licence verification

How do you verify a DRC mining licence?

Verification tests the current cadastral position and standing, the surface-rights payment record, the holder, the perimeter, relevant disputes and available transfer or encumbrance records. Each finding should be tied to the transaction date rather than merely to the date shown on the certificate.

Is a DRC mining permit the same as ownership of the mining asset?

No. A permit evidences a mining right granted to a named holder over a defined perimeter. It does not, by itself, establish ownership of every underlying asset or confirm the mining right’s current standing.

What is CAMI in the DRC?

CAMI, the Cadastre Minier, is the DRC public service responsible for the cadastral administration and registration of mining and quarry rights. A public map or licence record is useful evidence, but it does not replace a current standing check for a transaction.

Can a DRC mining right face administrative action while a licence certificate still exists?

Yes. Arrears or failures to meet applicable obligations may expose a mining right to administrative action under the procedures established by the DRC Mining Code and Mining Regulations. The certificate itself may not display that current exposure.

How long does HAR-CHE licence verification take and what does it cost?

A HAR-CHE Decision Note is scoped at a fixed fee, generally £6,000 to £8,000, and delivered within ten working days from cleared payment and receipt of complete documents.

Sources and scope

This article draws on the DRC Mining Code, Law No. 007/2002 as amended by Law No. 18/001 of 9 March 2018, and the Mining Regulations, Decree No. 038/2003 as amended by Decree No. 18/024 of 8 June 2018. The official texts are available through the Cadastre Minier.

This article provides general information, not legal advice. Congolese counsel should interpret the applicable law for a specific transaction.

HAR-CHE independently verifies the factual position behind the file.

Last reviewed: 22 July 2026