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DRC mining export bans and uranium proliferation risks

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2026-08-10 17:40 UTC → 2026-09-04 12:58 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The DRC’s early‑2025 export quota for cobalt triggered a 70% rise in standard‑grade cobalt‑hydroxide prices to approximately $41,880 per metric ton by June 2025. A July 2026 study in Nature Communications revealed that between 2000 and 2024, an estimated 2,000–5,000 tonnes of natural uranium were unintentionally shipped to China embedded in cobalt‑hydroxide ore. Researchers estimate this concealed material could provide enough fissile material for 600 to 1,500 nuclear warheads, potentially allowing China to add roughly 12 weapons to its stockpile annually. The study also highlighted environmental risks, noting that thousands of tons of uranium may have been discarded in mine tailings, posing radiation hazards to local communities. On 29 June 2026, the DRC government implemented a resource-nationalism policy, banning copper and cobalt concentrate exports and imposing a 55% valuation tax following a three-month transition. This decree impacts major miners including CMOC, Glencore, Huayou, Zijin, Ivanhoe, and Eurasian Resources. Following the ban, copper prices on the London Metal Exchange rose approximately 1.8% to US$14,369.50 per tonne. In response to the uranium findings, the Congolese government has characterized the presence of uranium in the Lualaba and Haut-Katanga regions as a known geological phenomenon related to Roan Group formations. Authorities argue that uranium present in trace amounts is not considered nuclear material under IAEA standards unless specifically extracted. To resolve the dispute, Kinshasa has launched a “double-expertise” campaign involving national and international laboratory testing, established an inter-ministerial working group to assess health and environmental risks within 60 days, and pledged to consult the IAEA to uphold non-proliferation commitments. To further monitor shipments, officials intend to install radiation detectors on trucks departing the country. The controversy remains centered on nuclear accounting concerns, as experts note that less than 10 percent of the material was publicly declared to the IAEA, complicating oversight of its final destination.

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