Shinkolobwe Uranium Mine
Congo (Dem. Rep.) /
Katanga /
Kambove /
World
/ Congo (Dem. Rep.)
/ Katanga
/ Kambove
World / Democratic Republic of the Congo / Katanga / Haut-Shaba
mine, uranium mine
Shinkolobwe is a former uranium mine in the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), located near the larger town of Likasi and about 120 miles northwest of Lubumbashi. The disused mine is located in the centre of a 400 kilometre long belt of uranified minerals, stretching from south of Lubumbashi to Kalongwe, west of Kolwezi.
During the Second World War, The United States used Shinkolobwe's uranium resources to supply the Manhattan Project to construct the atomic bomb. Between 1942 and 1944, about 30,000 tons of uranium ore were sold to the US Army.
The mine was officially closed on January 28, 2004, by presidential decree.
Although industrial production has ceased with cement lids sealing off the mine shafts, there is evidence that some mining still goes on here.
On July 18, 2006 the United Nations Security Council Committee Established Pursuant to Resolution 1533 (2004), released a report which stated that artisanal mining for various minerals continues at the Shinkolobwe mine and asserted that incidences of smuggling of radioactive materials are far more frequent than previously assumed. According to Congolese experts on radioactive materials, organs of State security have, during the past six years, confiscated over 50 cases containing uranium or caesium in and around Kinshasa. The last significant incident occurred in March 2004 when two containers with over 100 kilograms of stable uranium-238 and uranium-235 were secured.
On August 9, 2006 the Sunday Times published a report claiming that Iran was seeking to import "bomb-making uranium" from the Shinkolobwe mine, alleging that the smuggled Uranium was destined for processing in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan via the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
During the Second World War, The United States used Shinkolobwe's uranium resources to supply the Manhattan Project to construct the atomic bomb. Between 1942 and 1944, about 30,000 tons of uranium ore were sold to the US Army.
The mine was officially closed on January 28, 2004, by presidential decree.
Although industrial production has ceased with cement lids sealing off the mine shafts, there is evidence that some mining still goes on here.
On July 18, 2006 the United Nations Security Council Committee Established Pursuant to Resolution 1533 (2004), released a report which stated that artisanal mining for various minerals continues at the Shinkolobwe mine and asserted that incidences of smuggling of radioactive materials are far more frequent than previously assumed. According to Congolese experts on radioactive materials, organs of State security have, during the past six years, confiscated over 50 cases containing uranium or caesium in and around Kinshasa. The last significant incident occurred in March 2004 when two containers with over 100 kilograms of stable uranium-238 and uranium-235 were secured.
On August 9, 2006 the Sunday Times published a report claiming that Iran was seeking to import "bomb-making uranium" from the Shinkolobwe mine, alleging that the smuggled Uranium was destined for processing in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan via the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkolobwe
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 11°3'8"S 26°32'54"E
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