The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has initiated an investigation into reports of uranium presence in its cobalt exports, especially those destined for China. This comes after a joint investigation by the Financial Times and Lighthouse Reports, published in Nature Communications, alleged that Chinese companies had exported between 2,000 and 5,000 tonnes of natural uranium from the DRC between 2000 and 2024, hidden within cobalt hydroxide shipments. The DRC government stated that it would consult with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and conduct tests using both national and international accredited laboratories to confirm the reports.
The Congolese authorities deny violating international commitments, stating that uranium's presence in the copper and cobalt veins in the southeast is a "natural" and "well-documented" phenomenon. They also emphasized that the recent study was not based on direct measurements of exported shipments. However, a 2009 IAEA memo, obtained during the investigation, had already flagged "significant quantities" of uranium being exported as a by-product of cobalt mining. The DRC officially prohibits uranium production and exports.
Roughly 65% of the undeclared uranium exports were reportedly directed toward Chinese-owned entities. The DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer, with approximately 95% of its cobalt ores being shipped to China for refining, a critical component for lithium-ion batteries. The investigation also highlighted that the estimated volume of undeclared uranium could potentially be sufficient for the production of around 600 to 1,500 nuclear weapons, raising concerns about supply chain monitoring and nuclear non-proliferation.
The head of the DRC's nuclear energy agency, Steve Muanza, acknowledged the technical possibility and likelihood of Chinese companies extracting uranium from cobalt ore. He mentioned that his agency has sought funding to install radiation monitors for trucks exporting goods to Zambia. The Shinkolobwe mine, which historically supplied uranium for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, has been closed for years, but mining activity persists in the region. The probe will scrutinize the practices of companies involved, some of whom have denied the claims.
