Anyone think B.C. might be a safer jurisdiction???

Too bad Teck isn't moving things along at a reasonable pace.

WASHINGTON, March 29 (Reuters) - The United States speaks regularly with the Democratic Republic of Congo's state miner Gecamines, a senior State Department official told Reuters, as Washington seeks to deepen relationships with key suppliers of cobalt and copper across the African continent.

Chinese aggressive investment across Congo, Zambia and elsewhere in Africa - which holds massive supplies of minerals used to make electric vehicles and other electronics - has for some time raised concern in Washington.

 Jose Fernandez, the U.S. State Department's under secretary for economic growth, energy, and the environment, said in an interview this week that conversations with Gecamines center on supply deals and potential new mines or other projects the company is considering. Conversations take place on average every four to six weeks, he said.