La Mangeuse de Cuivre : La saga de l’Union Minière du Haut‑Katanga, 1906‑1966 by Fernand Lekime (Didier Hatier, 1992) is a comprehensive historical account of one of the most influential mining enterprises in twentieth‑century Central Africa. First published in 1992, this French‑language softcover edition spans approximately 310–312 pages and chronicles six decades of industrial, economic, and political history centred on the Union Minière du Haut‑Katanga (UMHK) — the Belgian mining company that dominated the copper‑rich Katanga region from its founding in 1906 through the upheavals of decolonisation and into the early post‑colonial period.
La Mangeuse de Cuivre is built on more than twenty‑five years of documentation and presents a detailed, multifaceted examination of how the UMHK grew into a global player in non‑ferrous metallurgy. The author structures the saga into thematic episodes — from the early pioneers and the pressures of the world wars, through emerging nationalist conflicts and labour struggles, to the political turmoil of secession and nationalisation under figures such as Moïse Tshombe and Mobutu Sese Seko — situating the company’s fortunes within broader geopolitical currents.
The book’s title, La mangeuse de cuivre (“The Copper Eater”), metaphorically captures the voracious industrial appetite of the company and its centrality to the economic life of the Katanga Copperbelt. In addition to narrative history, the volume typically includes illustrations, photographs, maps, and bibliographical references, offering both visual context and scholarly grounding.
Published by Didier Hatier in Bruxelles as part of its Collection Grands Documents, this edition appeals to readers interested in African economic history, colonial enterprises, and the interplay between global capital and local society. La Mangeuse de Cuivre is particularly valuable to historians, political scientists, and collectors focused on Belgian colonial history, resource extraction, and the long‑term impacts of mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
