People/politician

Moise Tshombe

Moise Tshombe (1919–1969), politician, from DR Congo. Linked to copper.

The lucky break

Born at Musumba into a Lunda family of rich traders, he sat on the Katanga provincial council from 1951 to 1953.1,2

The downfall

After the secession failed he went into exile, and he died in Algiers in June 1969 while held there. Algeria's president refused to extradite him.1,2

Legacy

Proclaimed the independence of Katanga on 11 July 1960. Copper export revenue was central to the dispute with the central government. He accepted the UN plan on 14 January 1963, which ended the secession.1,2

Story cards

Drag to turn the globe

Where next

Places

LedLubumbashiHe proclaimed Katanga's independence on 11 July 1960.1

Sources

  1. Biographie Belge d'Outre-Mer: Tshombe, Moise Kapenda (PDF) Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences (KAOW-ARSOM)
  2. Wikidata item Q334830

From the Prospector Trails mining history dataset: each fact links to the source it was checked against. Figures are as the source gives them, in the money of their day. Not investment advice.

Keep exploring

Stories with these minerals

The world runs on rockThe GridCopper, the metal of electricityHistory of miningThe giants: how the largest mines in the world were found1935-2025Lessons from historyResource nationalism: what the record shows1623-2025Green malachite on pink cobaltocalcite, a copper and cobalt specimen from Musonoi near KolweziMining historyCongo's copper and cobaltCopper and cobalt · DR Congo

All mining storiesThe world runs on rockAll mineralsMining by country

Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: Malachite on cobaltocalcite, Musonoi by Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0. Pictures: Escondida Mine, Chile, NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team (Public domain (NASA media, no copyright)); Kopermijn te Kolwezi in de provincie Shaba (Katanka), Mieremet, Rob / Anefo / Europeana (Public Domain Mark 1.0).