Zijin Mining, a major Chinese mining company, announced on Tuesday its commitment to cooperate on the inquiry with the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following the detection of radiation in a shipment of cobalt from its mine in the country, the Western media reported.
"We will cooperate with the government joint working group to investigate the root cause as soon as possible, take appropriate measures, and ensure product compliance," Zijin was quoted as saying.
The company reported that higher-than-normal radiation levels were identified in a cobalt shipment during a regular customs examination in Botswana (some Congo producers send cobalt by road through Zambia and Botswana so that it can be exported through Walvis Bay in Namibia). This happened despite the fact that Congo's General Commission for Atomic Energy had issued a radiation detection qualification report for the consignment, the media said.
As a precautionary measure, the company has recalled the affected shipment and notified Congolese authorities of the higher levels of radiation, according to the report.
The DRC is the second-largest country in Africa and is rich in valuable minerals, such as copper and cobalt. Its mining sector in 2020 was almost 70% dominated by Chinese investors, according to S&P Global.
In late January, Chinese mining company Sicomines and Gecamines reached a deal, according to which the DR Congo will receive a $7-billion investment, “mainly intended for the construction of national roads,” the agreement read.