Trucks transporting cobalt exports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) into neighboring Zambia may soon be subject to enhanced radiation screening amid growing concerns over uranium contamination in the mined material. The DR Congo is the world’s largest source of cobalt, a critical component in electric vehicle batteries, but investigations have revealed that uranium, a naturally occurring radioactive element, frequently coexists with cobalt in key mining regions.

Recent research indicates that between 2000 and 2024, the quantity of uranium mixed with exported cobalt ore from the DR Congo was sufficient to theoretically produce around 600 nuclear weapons or fuel a large 1GW nuclear reactor for a decade if fully extracted and enriched. Experts and officials warn that the porous borders of the DR Congo, ongoing conflict in the eastern regions, and limited regulatory oversight raise risks of radioactive materials entering illicit supply chains or falling into the wrong hands.

Florimond Kabanda, head of the country’s nuclear safety agency, CNPRI, described radioactive smuggling as an escalating security threat. He highlighted the vulnerability of eastern border areas controlled by rebel groups and underscored concerns that such groups might misuse radioactive substances. Kabanda emphasized the need for stronger safeguards to protect both the DR Congo and the international community.

According to a study published in Nature Communications, cobalt hydroxide exports from the DR Congo contained an estimated 2,000 tonnes of natural uranium over the past two decades. Testing by national authorities has frequently detected radiation levels in cobalt samples exceeding public exposure limits. Steve Muanza, director of the DR Congo’s nuclear emergency agency, noted that uranium, copper, and cobalt coexist at varying concentrations throughout the mining belt. Long-term occupational exposure to radiation and radon gas in these areas has been linked to increased health risks, including higher cancer and birth defect rates.

The Tenke Fungurume mine, one of the country’s largest cobalt producers now owned by China’s CMOC, has faced persistent uranium contamination issues. Corporate records show uranium concentrations in its cobalt hydroxide often surpassing both national and international legal thresholds, sometimes by significant margins. CMOC, however, denies that uranium levels exceed permissible limits and asserts compliance with regulatory and customer standards. The company also maintains that a dedicated uranium-removal process is not necessary.

Similar challenges have affected other operators, including Glencore’s Kamoto Copper Company and Eurasian Resources Group’s Metalkol project. Both companies encountered uranium contamination that required adjustments in processing techniques—such as using phosphoric acid to extract uranium—to meet regulatory standards. Industry insiders suggest that most mining operations, aside from these examples, have yet to implement specific uranium removal measures.

Efforts by the DR Congo government to regulate cobalt exports, including a recent export ban and quota imposition, aim in part to address the issue. Despite screening shipments for radioactivity, officials acknowledge that the system may not detect every instance of uranium contamination. High-radioactivity shipments are either buried or returned for reprocessing, although such measures are rare.

The international community’s role in monitoring uranium-bearing minerals is nuanced. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervises uranium production globally but does not require reporting on low-grade uranium ores exported for non-nuclear uses, such as cobalt hydroxide. Questions remain about whether countries like China, the largest processor of Congolese cobalt and a nuclear power, extract uranium from imported ores. Former IAEA officials and non-proliferation experts say it is plausible that uranium recovery occurs during refining, given China’s expanding nuclear power program and military arsenal growth.

China’s foreign ministry has denied allegations of uranium extraction for nuclear weapons from imported cobalt ores, emphasizing its commitment to peaceful nuclear energy use and compliance with international agreements.

While confirming definitive recovery of uranium abroad remains challenging, Congolese officials stress the immediate priorities are improving shipment monitoring, preventing radioactive material diversion, and mitigating health risks for mine workers in the DR Congo’s cobalt-rich regions.