AI infrastructure demand draws technology groups toward Congolese copper

Technology buyers examine mine-level supply

Ivanhoe Mines says it is holding discussions with major US technology groups interested in both future copper supplies and possible financing for Western Forelands, its exploration project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Founder and co-executive chairman Robert Friedland told Bloomberg that Silicon Valley hyperscalers are asking directly about the metal’s future availability.

According to La Tribune, the conversations extend beyond buying copper after production begins and include the possibility of contributing capital for mine construction. No technology company has been identified, and Ivanhoe has announced neither a supply contract nor a financing agreement. Western Forelands also remains at the exploration stage, making the discussions an early indication of buyer interest rather than a committed investment.

Makoko resource estimate rises by 30%

The talks follow a 30% increase in Ivanhoe’s resource estimate for one of its main discoveries at Western Forelands. The Canadian mining company said on Tuesday, September 8, that additional drilling had raised the amount of contained copper in the Makoko district’s resources to approximately 12 million tonnes.

Ivanhoe is conducting a 94,500-metre drilling program this year, the largest undertaken at Western Forelands, and plans to intensify the campaign in the fourth quarter. A scoping study is due to begin in the first quarter of 2027 to assess initial development options. Some mineralized zones are shallow enough to support potential open-pit mining, which Ivanhoe believes could reduce required capital and shorten the development schedule. Friedland has cited a possible path to production in 3 to 4 years, although no construction decision has been announced.

Data centers add to long-term copper requirements

Copper is used in the cables, transformers, circuits and electrical equipment that support data centers. BHP estimates that global copper consumption directly associated with data centers could rise from approximately 500,000 tonnes today to 3 million tonnes annually by 2050. That prospective increase comes alongside broader demand from the electrification of transport, power systems and industry, while new mines typically require lengthy exploration, permitting and construction periods.

Technology companies have begun testing more direct procurement arrangements. In January, Amazon Web Services reached an agreement with Rio Tinto to use copper produced at the Johnson Camp mine in Arizona in its US data centers. Such transactions remain limited, but the AWS agreement and Ivanhoe’s reported discussions indicate that large digital-infrastructure operators are examining relationships closer to primary production.

DRC’s supply role could expand

The Democratic Republic of Congo was the world’s second-largest producer of mined copper in 2024, supplying 2.99 million tonnes, or approximately 13% of global mine output, according to the US Geological Survey. Ivanhoe already operates in the country through Kamoa-Kakula, developed with China’s Zijin Mining and now one of the world’s leading copper complexes.

Western Forelands could add to the DRC’s importance in future supply if exploration results lead to a commercially viable mine. Direct participation by technology companies as buyers or financiers would introduce an unusual group of stakeholders into a Congolese copper sector largely organized around miners, commodity traders and public or sovereign investors. For now, however, the absence of named counterparties, binding contracts and a completed development study leaves the project’s financing structure, production schedule and future customers unresolved.