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China strengthens mining position in DRC as Australian firm loses lithium permits

DR Congo's Mining Registry cancelled AVZ Minerals' permits for non-payment of surface rights fees on March 19, marking the company's second major permit revocation in three years. The cancellations reflect a broader shift in DRC's mining sector toward Chinese partners as preferred investors. This development signals potential constraints on non-Chinese lithium access in a critical cobalt and lithium-producing region.