KoBold Metals, backed by billionaire Bill Gates, has brokered a deal to buy a massive lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
KoBold, which uses artificial intelligence to explore for materials key to the energy transition, announced Wednesday that it had hammered out a framework for buying Australia’s AVZ Minerals’ interest in the Manono lithium deposit in the southern Congo in central Africa.
The company said the Trump administration helped shepherd through the deal and in a message on X thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Massad Boulos, the department’s senior adviser for Africa; and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi for “opening doors for U.S. investment” and agreeing on a framework for the investment.
“We’ll make America & DRC safer, stronger & more prosperous,” the company wrote.
