The clean-energy transition is driving demand for Africa’s minerals. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a cobalt producer, this has brought investment and jobs, alongside questions about mining’s environmental impact.
On November 5, 2026, 27 residents of Kolwezi filed a USD 6.3 million lawsuit against the operator of a Chinese-controlled copper and cobalt mine, alleging contamination of local air and water. Compagnie Minière de Musonoie Global (COMMUS) is 67 per cent owned by China’s Zijin Mining. The claimants seek compensation and environmental restoration. The company will contest the allegations.
The case reflects a wider challenge. Chinese companies are major investors in Africa’s copper, cobalt, bauxite and lithium industries, bringing capital, jobs, technology and access to international markets. Their role has also exposed weaknesses in environmental oversight.
The environmental cost of extraction
The DRC accounted for approximately 76 per cent of mined cobalt production in 2024. Chinese companies, including CMOC, Zijin Mining and Huayou Cobalt, are major investors in its mining and processing industries.
Investigations commissioned by organisations supporting the COMMUS lawsuit reportedly found PM2.5 pollution near a school attended by about 1,500 children reaching 44 micrograms per cubic metre, almost three times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily guideline of 15 micrograms. Researchers also reported contamination in a community well near the mine’s waste storage facility.
The court has yet to determine responsibility. The allegations require independent investigation and a fair opportunity for the company to respond, while concerns over children’s health and safe water deserve serious attention.
A March 2026 report by the Environmental Investigation Agency and Congolese organisation PremiCongo alleged that sulphur dioxide emissions at CMOC’s Tenke Fungurume operations contributed to respiratory problems. The investigation reviewed more than 1,200 medical records and reported a 66 per cent increase in respiratory illnesses in 2023, when a processing plant began operating. CMOC disputed the allegations, saying its emissions complied with applicable limits. The government announced an inspection.
The cases underline the need for credible monitoring and transparent reporting. Mining can generate export earnings and support industrial supply chains, but those benefits are diminished when communities face risks to air, water and land.
When industrial accidents affect communities
In February 2025, a tailings dam at the Chinese-owned Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine collapsed, releasing an estimated 50 million litres of acidic waste containing heavy metals into waterways connected to the Kafue River. It killed fish, raised downstream contamination concerns and disrupted water supplies in parts of Kitwe, affecting approximately 700,000 residents. The company apologised and pledged clean-up support; authorities suspended operations.
Later that year, a wastewater spill at Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a subsidiary of China’s Huayou Cobalt, affected neighbourhoods in Lubumbashi after acidic industrial solutions escaped from a containment facility. Authorities suspended operations for three months. In November 2026, the mines ministry reiterated that the company was required to pay USD 6 million in compensation to three communities and a further USD 6.6 million penalty to the state.
These incidents underline the need for safeguards and independent inspections.
The challenge of regulation
Environmental degradation is not exclusive to large companies or Chinese investment. It is also associated with illegal mining, weak enforcement and informal networks involving local and foreign actors.
Ghana’s galamsey, or illegal small-scale gold mining, illustrates the challenge. An October 2025 report on Chinese mining in West Africa identified environmental damage associated with formal and informal operations, including the destruction of forests, watersheds and agricultural land. It cautioned against treating all Chinese mining activity alike, given the different roles of private individuals, companies and local networks.
Ghana’s Forestry Commission reported that illegal mining had affected 8,923.8 hectares of forest reserves by the end of 2024, with more than 5,200 hectares lost between 2021 and 2024. A 2025 government assessment also found widespread degradation in river basins affected by small-scale mining.
African governments must enforce environmental obligations, strengthen monitoring and ensure companies comply with national laws.
Investment and responsibility must go together
China’s role in African mining must be understood in the context of the continent’s development needs. African countries need investment to expand production, build processing facilities, create jobs and move beyond exporting unprocessed commodities. Chinese firms bring capital, technical capacity and access to major markets.
The debate should focus on investment quality, operating conditions and benefits for host communities.
Host governments set licence conditions, assess environmental impact, monitor compliance and enforce penalties. Weak capacity and oversight can undermine these responsibilities. Chinese companies should apply environmental and social commitments consistently across their overseas operations.
Demand for Africa’s minerals is likely to grow with investment in electric mobility, renewable energy and digital infrastructure. Their value must be measured not only in export earnings, but also in the condition of the land, water and communities.
Africa should welcome investment that supports industrialisation and strengthens its place in global supply chains. It must come with responsible operations, transparent assessments, effective regulation and community engagement. Africa should not have to choose between investment and environmental protection.
