• Company is assessing copper recovery at its Bisie North project

• Metallurgical tests are nearing completion, with results expected soon

• Tin remains the main focus, but copper adds strategic value

As it prepares to step up exploration work in 2026, UK-based Rome Resources is also assessing the economic potential of copper at its Bisie North project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In an update published on December 23, the company said it is on track to complete the studies under way, at a site where tin remains the primary exploration target.

Over the course of the year, Rome Resources commissioned metallurgical work to evaluate processing methods that could allow for the economic recovery of significant copper resources located above the tin zones at Mount Agoma. The first phase of this work is nearing completion, with results expected in the near term, according to the company.

Published in late October, Rome Resources’ maiden mineral resource estimate highlighted the polymetallic nature of Bisie North. The estimate outlined 10,600 tons of tin, alongside 46,900 tons of copper. It is this copper potential that the company is now seeking to better unlock through the ongoing metallurgical program. The work involves a series of tests aimed at determining whether copper extraction could be economically viable, including the identification of the most suitable processing method and the expected quality of the final product.

By focusing on the copper potential at Bisie North, Rome Resources is positioning itself in a market of growing strategic importance. Copper is critical to key sectors such as electronics, renewable energy, and electric mobility, and is increasingly viewed as a strategic metal. In this context, the International Energy Agency has warned of a potential supply shortfall by 2035, driven by demand expected to rise sharply.

Rome Resources’ ability to capitalize on these opportunities will ultimately depend on the outcome of the studies under way, with no indication at this stage of their likelihood of success. In the meantime, the company plans to continue advancing exploration, including the launch of a new drilling campaign in the first quarter of 2026.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou