Cases / Mining · Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2000–2024
Study estimates 2,000 tonnes of uranium in DR Congo cobalt exports
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Investigators estimate that more than 2,000 tonnes of natural uranium were embedded in DR Congo cobalt exports from 2000 to 2024. The estimate concerns radioactive material in the battery metal supply chain.
What?
An investigation and a study estimate that more than 2,000 tonnes of natural uranium were embedded in DR Congo cobalt exports from 2000 to 2024. Miningmx
Where?
Democratic Republic of the Congo, around Kolwezi and the border Miningmx
When?
Estimate covers 2000 to 2024; reported in August 2026 Miningmx
Who?
Gained
- Cobalt exporters — Shipped the cobalt exports in which the estimated uranium was embedded Miningmx
Lost
None on recordHarmed
- Residents near Kolwezi cobalt and copper mining sites — Amnesty International and IBGDH documented forced evictions, arson, beatings and sexual assault around six sites in a 2023 report
- Residents of a Kolwezi neighbourhood of about 39,000 people — Face eviction for a copper and cobalt expansion
Why?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
How?
The estimate says the uranium was carried in cobalt export shipments between 2000 and 2024. Miningmx
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
Miningmx reported on 10 August 2026 that a Financial Times and Lighthouse Reports investigation and a Nature Communications study estimate that more than 2,000 tonnes of natural uranium were embedded in cobalt exports from 2000 to 2024.
The government is reported to be starting radiation screening at the border (Miningmx).
Amnesty International and IBGDH's September 2023 report documented forced evictions, arson, beatings and sexual assault around six cobalt and copper mining sites near Kolwezi; Chemaf agreed to pay 1.5 million dollars but denies fault.
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record The sources do not say how the 2,000-tonne figure was calculated.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not say whether any responsible-cobalt certification scheme tested for uranium.
- None on record The Nature Communications study is not linked in the sources.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers
Press and investigations
- Congo probes uranium in cobalt exportsMiningmx · 2026-08-10
Connected cases
Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
- Kolwezi forced evictions (Cité Gécamines, DRC) Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2016–2023
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: Documented the evictions
- Chemaf (Company) — here: agreed to pay in a case over Kolwezi evictions; denies fault; there: Mining company named in the report
- Addis Ababa riverside and corridor demolitions led to evictions without compensation Ethiopia · 2020–2024
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: called for a halt to evictions
- Kabwe lead-poisoning claim against Anglo American is under appeal in South Africa Zambia · date not stated
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: advocate reporting on the case
- Lagos waterfront evictions (Otodo-Gbame, Badia East) and Eko Atlantic Nigeria · 2014–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: NGO; recorded evictions and deaths
- Ngorongoro and Loliondo relocations Tanzania · 1992–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: NGO; reported on forced evictions
- Niger Delta oil spills and sabotage attribution (Shell, Eni) Nigeria · 2008–2022
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: NGO; report on spill investigations
- Ogoniland and Bodo spills clean-up (SPDC, HYPREP) Nigeria · 1958–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi; there: Reported on spill-cause determination and sabotage attribution