The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced plans to investigate reports that its cobalt exports to China contain traces of uranium, a radioactive element. This follows a joint investigation published in late July by the Nature Communications journal, involving the Financial Times and Lighthouse Reports, which alleged that Chinese companies had exported cobalt hydroxide with significant uranium content from the DRC. The companies involved have denied these allegations.
The DRC, a major global supplier of critical minerals, finds itself in the midst of a geopolitical tug-of-war between China and the United States. The U.S. is keen to reduce its reliance on China for strategic resources, while China continues to dominate the cobalt market by importing the vast majority of the DRC's cobalt.
The Congolese government has refuted claims that they violated international commitments, stating that the presence of uranium in cobalt veins is a natural phenomenon well-documented in the region. They emphasized that the study in question did not involve direct measurements of exported shipments. The government plans to conduct tests in collaboration with both national and international laboratories, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The DRC, which supplies around 68% of the world's cobalt and was Africa's largest copper producer in 2025, has a mining sector marred by corruption. The Shinkolobwe mine, historically significant as the source of uranium for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, has been inactive for years. The investigation into the cobalt exports comes at a time when the DRC is seeking to address concerns over the purity and safety of its mineral exports.
This investigation may have implications for Bangladesh, which relies on imports of cobalt for various industrial applications, including battery production. Ensuring the purity and safety of these imports is crucial for both consumer safety and environmental protection.
