In vast warehouses at the Kamoa copper mine in the south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, mountains of reddish rocks pile up as the machines grind away day and night.
The deposit, reputed to be the largest in Africa, is one of the Democratic Republic of Congo's hidden treasures - which are at the centre of a global race for critical minerals.
In the ultra-modern installations, thousands of workers churn out the red gold, coveted by international markets for its exceptionally high copper content.
“Kamoa at the moment is one of the largest copper mines in the world and growing to become the largest copper mine in Africa and probably the fourth largest in the world,” said its managing director Annebel Oosthuizen.
It is aiming to churn out half a million tonnes from 2028, she added, "right up there in terms of world capacity".
