The operating license was suspended after unusually high radiation levels were detected.

DRC authorities suspended the licence of the COMMUS copper and cobalt operation after above-normal radiation levels were detected on a cobalt hydroxide consignment during a routine customs inspection in Botswana.

COMMUS is operated by China's Zijin Mining Group which has a 72% stake in the operation. DRC SOE Gécamines holds 28%.

Latest reports suggest that Zijin Mining would cooperate with authorities of the DRC – noting that the shipment had been tested prior to being exported.

The operation consists of the Kolwezi open-pit mine and the Kolwezi refinery, both located near the city of Kolwezi.  The refinery processes Cu-Co concentrate feedstock from the mine and has a designed production capacity of 100ktpy Cu and 3ktpy Co. 

Production last year was 2.5kt cobalt and 128.2kt copper. With the cobalt intermediates market still considerably oversupplied, the removal of COMMUS material will only make a small dent in the market balance. Similarly, there will be limited impact on the copper market. The DRC has recently emerged as the world’s second-largest producer of mined copper, surpassing Peru, producing 2.8Mt of mined copper, in 2023.