Rush and ruin: the devastating mineral trade in Southern Katanga
This report explores how the illicit trade in cobalt and copper in Katanga (south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo) is contributing to the destruction of the country’s economy, the environment as well as the livelihoods of thousands of Congolese people.As the report demonstrates, the volume of the illegal mineral trade is immense. In March 2004 the Central Bank of Congo reported the DRC produced 783 tonnes of cobalt metal.