The companies Cominiere from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd from China have officially launched their first lithium exploration project.

The joint venture is now called Katamba Mining, and Katamba, in a statement issued Monday, said it has secured mining rights to two greenfield exploration and exploitation projects in the area around the Manono lithium mine in the DRC, "in order to increase Zijin's competitiveness in new energy minerals.

The document states that the Manono lithium mine is controlled by Australia's AVZ Minerals, and the mine's lithium oxide reserves reach 8.78 million tons.

International demand for lithium is increasing as the mineral is used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

Earlier in November, China's Zijin Mining had also approved investment in a smelter for its Kamoa-Kakula copper project next to Ivanhoe Mines in the DRC in an effort to reduce reliance on third-party smelters.