On Thursday, November 1, 2022, the Congolese Minister of Industry, Julien Paluku said that...'It should be noted that the ton of lithium is $71,000 on the market. If the country manages to exploit 50 tons of lithium of this value. On this figure, if we take 10%, there is enough to build roads, railways and hydroelectric plants in this province. The value chain therefore begins with this extraction'.
I wonder if the reporter, Nadine Fula misinterpreted the Congolese Minister of Industry, Julien Paluku's words.
50 tonnes x $71,000 = $3.55m
10% of $3.55m = $355,000, which does not build many roads, railways or hydroelectric plants. And I doubt any over-fed corrupt official will even get out of bed for that paltry amount.
I guess it should read 50m tonnes of lithium, rather than 50 tonnes, which also makes the side snacks worth consideration.
Corruption aside, there will be no downstream societal benefit while the DRC's top elected officials and its jurisprudence continue to sit on their fat bloated arses collecting their salaries but not delivering. As others have previously quoted: Talk - action = shit.
Cheers
F