Congo to Investigate Reports of Excess Uranium in Cobalt Exports

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Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — The Democratic Republic of Congo will look into reports of excess uranium leaving the country in its exports of battery mineral cobalt, the government said Thursday.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe country will test samples of cobalt shipments and investigate allegations published in the journal Nature Communications that as much as 5,000 tons of natural uranium may have been shipped from Congo, embedded in cobalt exports, between 2000 and 2024. The government said it had “taken note, with the utmost attention” of the article in a statement published Friday on X. Congo supplies about three-quarters of the world’s cobalt, which is mostly shipped in the form of hydroxide — a powdery substance that is often only 30-40% cobalt and contains other materials. A mine in Congo supplied uranium for the Manhattan Project and traces of the mineral are sometimes found throughout its copper and cobalt-rich southeast.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againGlencore Plc’s Kamoto Copper Co. unit stopped shipping cobalt for several months in 2018 because of concerns over radioactivity, which it addressed through a process that removed the contamination. In 2024, Congo temporarily shut down a Zijin Mining Group mine after finding elevated levels of radiation in its cobalt exports.Government agencies check for radiation and occasionally halt shipments, but the journal’s findings suggest some uranium still leaves the country undeclared and isn’t placed under international safeguards.Another 1,000–4,000 tons of uranium were likely discarded in mining waste “in easily-mobilized forms, posing environmental and health risks” over the same period, according to the article published last month.“This co-mineralization has been responsibly managed for more than a century of industrial mining operations,” the government said. Read: Congo Presidency Flags Radiation Risks at Glencore Mining SiteFollowing the article’s publication, the country said it will test samples of its cobalt exports in domestic and international laboratories and create an inter-ministerial working group to investigate the claims, including the possibility of damage to worker health and the environment. It will also ask the International Atomic Energy Agency for a technical support mission. “Congolese cobalt will continue to be extracted and exported in compliance with the strictest ethical, environmental, and safety standards, in accordance with established international standards,” the government said. This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.