Uranium was reportedly found in significant quantities in cobalt ore exported from mines in southeastern Katanga, according to a joint investigation by Lighthouse Reports, The Financial Times and Le Monde. The mine, run by a Chinese company, lies in Central Africa’s Copperbelt and has increasingly focused on cobalt production as demand grows for the mineral’s use in lithium-ion batteries and aerospace alloys.
The investigation refers to “credible information” contained in a previously undisclosed internal memo from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), though the Chinese operator rejects the claim. Industry experts note that uranium, copper and cobalt commonly occur together across the Congolese and Zambian Copperbelt.
