Silicon Valley comes knocking on Congo’s door for copper as Ivanhoe mines massive discovery

When you think about who’s trying to buy stakes in Congolese copper mines, names like Meta, Google, or Microsoft probably aren’t the first that come to mind. But the AI infrastructure buildout has a way of making strange bedfellows, and mining tycoon Robert Friedland says Silicon Valley is now showing serious interest in his company’s massive copper exploration project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ivanhoe Mines announced a 30% increase in the mineral resource estimate at its Makoko District, part of the broader Western Forelands exploration project. Total contained copper at the site now stands at approximately 12 million tonnes, making it the largest and highest-grade new copper discovery anywhere on the planet in the past decade. Big Tech’s copper problem Copper prices have reflected that reality, recently surging past $14,500 per tonne to reach all-time highs. Tight supply conditions and the prospect of potential US tariffs on refined metals have only added fuel to the rally. Friedland, Ivanhoe’s founder and executive co-chairman, said the company has seen a notable uptick in conversations with US Big Tech companies, specifically those based in Silicon Valley, around off...