ABOUT 300 Chinese nationals working in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s copper belt were detained this week in a crackdown on illegal mining, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
In an exclusive report, Bloomberg said the arrests took place mainly in Kolwezi, the mining hub at the centre of Congo’s copper industry.
The workers were detained over their alleged involvement in illegal mining on concessions belonging to other companies, according to people familiar with the arrests.
The operation involved officials from Congo’s National Security Council and immigration authorities.
China’s embassy in Kinshasa intervened and some of those detained have since been released.
The Chinese embassy, Congo’s mining ministry, immigration authority and presidency did not respond to Bloomberg’s requests for comment.
Chinese mining companies have become a dominant force in Congo’s copper industry after a wave of investment in recent years.
The expansion has helped Congo roughly triple copper production since 2015 and overtake Peru as the world’s second-largest producer of the metal.
But the growth of the industry has also been accompanied by persistent illegal mining on concessions held by larger operators.
Artisanal miners have repeatedly entered mining areas without permission and, in some cases, have been supported by members of the security forces.
Kolwezi, in Congo’s mineral-rich Lualaba province, lies at the heart of the country’s copper and cobalt industry and hosts operations owned by several major international and Chinese mining groups.