Democratic Republic of Congo's mines minister has suspended the head of the state agency overseeing artisanal and small-scale mining, accusing him of failing to prevent illegal mining on licensed concessions, according to an order seen by Reuters.

Mines minister Louis Kabamba Watum suspended Jean-Paul Kadiobo Kapongo, director general of the Service d'Assistance et d'Encadrement de l'Exploitation Miniere Artisanale et a Petite Echelle (SAEMAPE), on October 21, the document showed.

The order said Kapongo failed to take necessary measures to prevent illegal artisanal mining on concession areas, particularly in the copper- and cobalt-rich provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.

Kapongo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The order also accused him of improperly establishing SAEMAPE revenue-collection services inside concession areas, depriving permit holders of the full use of their rights and exposing the state to potential liabilities arising from damages suffered by third parties.

The suspension took immediate effect and was formally communicated to government agencies and provincial authorities on October 22.

Congo, the world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, is grappling with a resurgence in artisanal mining as higher metal prices draw thousands of informal miners into licensed areas, creating tensions with industrial operators.

Major operators include CMOC, Glencore, Ivanhoe Mines and Eurasian Resources Group (ERG).

Kinshasa, which is pursuing separate minerals partnerships with the US, China and Europe, has stepped up mining reforms and enforcement as it seeks to improve governance and attract investment.

Authorities this week also restarted operations at the Musompo trading centre near Kolwezi, a key facility designed to improve transparency in mineral sales through certified weighing and analysis.