In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the city of Lubumbashi, called the Copper City of the DRC, is also known for its malachite artwork, ornaments and jewelry. This green stone is a derivative of copper. The city has a dozen craft workshops that employ hundreds of people. But only now, since the liberalization of the mining sector in 2002 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is malachite becoming increasingly rare in the local market.
The industries that use copper also carry malachite. Today, these malachite artisans are only supplied in small quantities by artisans. They fear for their future.
We are at the central workshop for artisanal malachite processing in the Ruashi district of Lubumbashi. Of the ten or so artisans, only five cut malachite. The others wash their thumbs for lack of raw material.
We craftsmen are dead. We have no more raw material, malachite has become scarce. It’s a serious problem, and that’s why you find us sitting there doing nothing. My colleague who is right there had ordered an ornamental work. It has no raw material. ”
Between 1970 and 1980, Gecamines, the then Congolese mining giant, opened a sales counter for malachite for the benefit of artisans. But with his fall in 1990, the counter closed. André Kituri, is a craftsman at the MK workshop.
“Those who supply us with malachite today are craftsmen. A few years ago, they had a point of sale for raw malachite, called Matonge, it is here in the Ruashi municipality. Today there is no longer a counter, the raw material can not be found. ”
A few meters away, Pierre runs another workshop and employs 12 people. Its ore deposit is almost empty and its production is declining.
“Previously, we took up to 50 kilos per day. But today it is between 3 and 10 kilos while we are 12 craftsmen. With 100 kilos, we even produced 200 to 300 necklaces per day. At present, our production is 30 to 50 necklaces. “
Although raw malachite has become scarce, the price has also risen. In ten years, it has gone from $ 2 per kilo to $ 5, an increase of more than 100%. Jean-Pierre, creates green stone necklaces.
“All mining is sold to foreigners. Because the Congolese state sold these quarries, we no longer know how to work. The Chinese buy everything and at a high price. We are facing competition, we do not know what to do anymore. With this foreign competition. ”
David Mwaku, another craftsman, fears the future of the profession.
“We are already on the verge of disappearing because we no longer have any raw material. In addition, we have no customer to buy the finished products. ”
Despite this context, malachite artisans and tailors in Lubumbashi are not disarming. The craft market in the city of Ruashi and that in central Lubumbashi is still busy. And they are still a must for tourists.
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