The Democratic Republic of Congo has opened an investigation into uranium hidden inside cobalt hydroxide shipments. A joint investigation by the Financial Times and Lighthouse Reports revealed that 2,000 to 5,000 tonnes of natural uranium left the country between 2000 and 2024, a practice that apparently went on for nearly a quarter century without triggering international safeguards. Approximately 65% of these exports were directed toward Chinese-owned entities, while the DRC remains the world’s largest cobalt producer. Researchers estimate the undeclared uranium could suffice for the production of 600 to 1,500 nuclear weapons. Workers in Katanga’s cobalt mines handled this radioactive material without protective equipment, facing health risks including kidney damage, lung disease, and increased cancer risk.
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