The Kinshasa Summit, on the theme of Great Lakes solidarity and development had been heading for a disappointing turnout, but South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim and two senior UN officials had already arrived. Foreign mining groups take fresh look at mineral wealth Attracted by the DRC's staggering mineral wealth, foreign investors are taking a fresh look at the country's under-exploited mining industry. Katanga province produces 10 percent of the world's copper and 50 percent of the cobalt. The South African firm Iscor is developing the Komoto copper project, an open pit mine with reserves estimated at 66 million mt. It is very high grade copper, shallow, abundant and cheap to mine.
Gold production is seen as another area with potential.
On Wednesday, South Africa's Anglo-American and its subsidiary Anglogold announced a joint venture agreement for the exploration of the African interests of Canada's Barrick Gold. Anglogold and Barrick will each hold a 40 percent stake with the remaining 20 percent held by the government. He is in Luanda to discuss military cooperation between South Africa and Angola. Niyonsaba told Reuters the delegation would meet mediator, former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere as well as President Benjamin Mkapa. He said one of the aims was to explain the new partnership between the Burundi government and the national assembly.