A relatively unknown but highly influential mining financier is emerging as a central figure in the global race for critical minerals as international investors intensify efforts to secure supplies of metals essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and advanced technologies.
According to reporting by the Accra Street Journal (ASJ), metals investor Oskar Lewnowski is leading a consortium seeking to acquire a 40 percent stake in two major copper and cobalt mining operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a transaction valued at approximately $9 billion.
The assets involved in the proposed deal are owned by commodities giant Glencore and include the Mutanda Mine and Kamoto Mine, two of the most strategically important sources of cobalt in the world.
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Industry analysts say the transaction highlights Africa’s growing role in the global race to secure critical minerals that will power the next generation of energy systems and technologies.
A Quiet Figure in a High-Stakes Industry
For decades, Lewnowski has operated largely outside the public spotlight despite building one of the most influential investment platforms in the global mining sector.
As founder of Orion Resource Partners, a New York-based investment firm focused on mining and metals financing, Lewnowski has spent years backing large-scale mining operations around the world.
According to the Accra Street Journal, his firm has invested billions of dollars into mining projects across multiple continents, supporting the development of companies involved in the production of metals critical to industrial and technological development.
Unlike many investors in the commodities sector, Lewnowski rarely gives interviews and has maintained a low media profile even as his firm became one of the largest specialist financiers in the mining industry.
However, the scale and strategic significance of the Congo investment is bringing him into a more visible role in the global resources sector.
Western Consortium Targets Congo Minerals
The investment is being pursued through the Orion Critical Minerals Consortium, a partnership designed to strengthen supply chains for minerals used in modern technologies.
The consortium includes the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and ADQ, reflecting growing cooperation between Western governments and investors to secure strategic resources.
Under the proposed deal, the consortium would acquire a significant stake in the mines while Glencore would continue to operate and manage the assets.
The agreement remains non-binding and will require further negotiations, regulatory approvals, and due diligence before any final investment decision is reached.
Still, according to the Accra Street Journal, the transaction would represent one of the most significant investments in Africa’s mining sector in recent years if completed.
Why Congo’s Minerals Matter
The mines at the centre of the deal produce copper and cobalt, two metals that are becoming increasingly important in the global economy.
Cobalt is a critical component in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, and large-scale energy storage systems.
Copper, meanwhile, plays a vital role in electricity networks, renewable power systems, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure due to its superior electrical conductivity.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, making the country a key supplier to global battery and technology industries.
However, as the Accra Street Journal notes, much of the global refining capacity for cobalt is currently dominated by Chinese companies that have spent years investing heavily across Africa’s mining sector.
This dominance has raised concerns among Western governments about long-term access to minerals needed for future technologies.
A Career Built in Metals Finance
Lewnowski’s path into the mining sector began in international banking.
Earlier in his career, he worked at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston, focusing on commodities trading and corporate finance.
During the commodity boom of the early 2000s, he co-founded Red Kite, which became one of the largest hedge funds specialising in metals trading.
Over time, Lewnowski shifted away from trading to focus on financing mining projects directly, believing that long-term investment in production assets offered stronger strategic opportunities.
In 2013, he launched Orion Resource Partners, transforming it into a major investment platform backing mining projects globally.
According to Accra Street Journal reporting, Orion’s investors include pension funds and sovereign wealth funds seeking long-term exposure to the global resources sector.
Washington’s Push for Secure Mineral Supply
The Congo deal also reflects a broader geopolitical strategy.
In recent years, Western governments have intensified efforts to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals used in clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
As part of this strategy, Lewnowski helped launch the Orion Critical Minerals Consortium in 2025 to finance mining projects capable of supplying the United States and its allies with essential resources.
Unlike early-stage exploration projects that can take many years to develop, the consortium focuses on existing mines or projects close to production, allowing new supply to reach global markets more quickly.
The proposed Congo investment is the largest move yet under this strategy.
The Strategic Importance of Mutanda and Kamoto
The Mutanda and Kamoto mines are among Glencore’s most valuable mining operations in Africa.
Together, they produce significant volumes of copper and cobalt that feed directly into global battery manufacturing and technology supply chains.
If the transaction proceeds, the consortium would gain the right to appoint directors and manage the sale of its share of mineral production to selected buyers, potentially reshaping supply flows in the global cobalt market.
According to the Accra Street Journal, the deal could mark a turning point in the balance of power within the global critical minerals industry.
Africa at the Centre of the Energy Transition
Beyond the financial aspects, the proposed investment reflects a much larger global trend.
As the world shifts toward electric mobility, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure, demand for critical minerals is rising sharply.
Many of those resources are concentrated in Africa.
From cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo to lithium in Zimbabwe and rare earth elements across the continent, Africa’s mineral reserves are becoming increasingly central to the future of the global economy.
The Accra Street Journal notes that this growing importance is attracting investors, governments, and corporations eager to secure reliable access to these strategic resources.
A Financier Steps into the Global Spotlight
For Lewnowski, the Congo investment could mark the moment when a long-low-profile financier becomes one of the most visible figures in the global mining sector.
If the deal moves forward, it would place him at the centre of one of the most consequential battles in modern industrial policy: the competition to control the minerals powering the global energy transition.
And as the Accra Street Journal reports, the outcome of that race may shape not only the future of mining but also the direction of global energy, technology, and manufacturing industries for decades to come.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
