DR Congo Secretly Exported Thousands of Tonnes of Uranium to China

An investigation by Lighthouse Reports alleges that the Democratic Republic of the Congo secretly exported between 2,000 and 5,000 tonnes of uranium to China from 2000 to 2024. These shipments occurred despite a national prohibition on the commercial export of uranium.

The uranium was reportedly transported as a by-product of cobalt mining in the southeastern Katanga region. The investigation specifically identifies the Shinkolobwe mine as a source, despite that facility being formally closed in 2004.

Evidence for these claims includes documents from TFM, a company now owned by the China-based CMOC Group Limited, and a leaked memo attributed to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The findings suggest a systemic circumvention of state prohibitions to facilitate the flow of nuclear materials to China.