Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KINSHASA796
2007-07-11 10:47:00
SECRET
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

RADIATION LEVELS AT THE LUISWISHI MINE

Tags:  ENRG ETRD KNNP PGOV PINR PINS IAEA CG EMIN 
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VZCZCXRO9108
RR RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0796/01 1921047
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 111047Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6495
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0017
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0030
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0012
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000796 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2017
TAGS: ENRG ETRD KNNP PGOV PINR PINS IAEA CG EMIN
SUBJECT: RADIATION LEVELS AT THE LUISWISHI MINE

Classified By: DPopovich, ECON OFFICER, Reason 1.4(b),(c),(f)

-------
Summary
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 KINSHASA 000796

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2017
TAGS: ENRG ETRD KNNP PGOV PINR PINS IAEA CG EMIN
SUBJECT: RADIATION LEVELS AT THE LUISWISHI MINE

Classified By: DPopovich, ECON OFFICER, Reason 1.4(b),(c),(f)

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (S) On 18 May 2007, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Minister of Mines and Property for Katanga Province,
Barthelemy Mumba Gama, ordered ministry officials to form a
commission to investigate radiation levels at the Luiswishi
Mine. A nine person commission was formed, which went to
Luiswishi between 23 and 29 May. The commission examined the
mine site and surrounding mineral deposits with radiometers,
then sent 100kg of rock samples to the Nuclear Research
Center of Kinshasa (CREN-K) for further analysis. The
commission detailed their radiation measurements and
analytical findings in a classified report. They concluded
that dangerously high levels of radiation existed at the
mine, and that the mine operator, the Mining Company of South
Katanga (CMSK),which is predominantly owned by the Malta
Forest Company (EGMF),was suppressing this fact to continue
exploiting the mine.

--------------
Radiation Levels at Luiswhisi
--------------


2. (S) On 18 May 2007, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Minister of Mines and Property for Katanga Province,
Barthelemy Mumba Gama, ordered ministry officials to form a
commission to investigate radiation levels at the Luiswishi
Mine. Luiswishi mine is located approximately 20km northwest
of Lubumbashi, and is ostensibly mined for copper and cobalt
by Malta Forest through its subsidiary CMSK. In response to
the Minister's request, the provincial Ministry of Mines
worked with the provincial Ministry of the Interior and the
provincial Office of Congolese Control (OCC) to form a nine
person Commission. The Commission consisted of the following
people:

- Engwand Tuabu, Deputy Provincial Dir OCC
- Sebastien Mwape, Ministry of the Interior
- Professor Lumbu Simbi, Ministry of Mines

- Nyembo Mwehu, Ministry of Mines
- Mukendi Mutambayi, Ministry of Mines
- Kitwa Kaseya, Chemist, Ministry of Mines
- Mukenga Zambuka, Chemist, Ministry of Mines
- Konzi Mukala, Mine Engineer, Ministry of Mines
- Dieudonne Masilikako, Driver, Ministry of Mines


3. (S) The Commission visited Luiswishi between 23 and 29 May

2007. They spoke with CMSK and Malta Forest officials,
measured radiation in the mine and surrounding deposits with
two radiometers, and took 100kg of rock, which they sent to
CREN-K for further analysis. The Commission detailed the
findings of their investigation in a classified report, which
Econoff has. As detailed in the report, the Commission
detected the following levels of radiation at the following
locations within the site:

Location - Radioactivity - mR/hr - mSv/yr
--------------
R334D - 0.525 - 10.50
R339 - 0.323 - 06.46
Le Sterile - 1.205 - 24.10
R332 South E - 1.444 - 28.88
R332 South D - 0.564 - 11.28
R332 North D - 0.993 - 19.86
R334B - 1.595 - 31.90
R334C - 1.595 - 31.90
Quarry Border - 0.037 - 00.74
Deposit I - 0.065 - 01.30
Deposit II - 0.052 - 01.04
Deposit II, south face, 1215m - 0.049 - 00.98
Deposit III, south face, 1310m - 0.140 - 02.80
Deposit III, north face, 1315m - 1.019 - 20.38
Between Deposit II and III - 0.175 - 03.50
Lake in the Quarry (main pit) - 8.980 - 179.60
Lake measurement on 5 Sept 07 -110.00 - 2200.00


4. (S) The Commission noted that the IAEA limits of
acceptable radiation exposure per year are 20 mSv/yr for
workers regularly exposed to radiation, and 1 mSv/yr for the
general public. Exposure beyond these levels is considered

KINSHASA 00000796 002 OF 003


hazardous. Given this, the Commission concluded that the
entire mine site is radioactive and dangerous. According to
the Commission's findings, the amount of radiation being
emitted at the worst location, the lake in the center of the
mine (179.60 mSv/yr),is 179 times greater than the IAEA,s
acceptable level of exposure to the general public.


5. (S) The Commission also took random radiation measurements
of raw rock stockpiled in the nearby village of Kawama, and
recorded the following:

Location Radioactivity (mR/hr)
--------------
Stock 1 .028
Stock 2 .034
Stock 3 .246
Stock 4 .034
Stock 5 .056
Stock 6 .075
Stock 7 .257
Stock 8 .052


6. (s) Note: The Commission determined radioactivity in
mSv/yr by taking a measurement in mR/h (mRoentgen/hour),
converting this to mSievert/hour (at a rate of 1 Sv = 100 R),
then extrapolating this to an annual exposure rate (mSv/yr)
by assuming an individual worked on-site for 2000 hr/year,
which is 8 hours a day, for 5 days a week, for 50 weeks of
the year.

--------------
The Commission's Recommendations
--------------


7. (s) Given these findings, the Commission recommended that
Malta Forest acknowledge that the site is radioactive and
that the government close the mine. The Commission noted
that DRC law prohibits private mining companies from mining
radioactive material unless granted an exceptional
authorization by the government or the President. If mining
is permitted to continue, the Commission recommended that
workers be informed of the radiation dangers, outfitted with
proper protective gear, monitored for radiation exposure, and
regularly given medical checkups. In addition, the
authorities should prevent the ingestion, inhalation or
exposure to radioactive substances, and try to control and
monitor the radiation levels at the site.

--------------
Malta Forest,s Side of the Story
--------------


8. (S) On 2 June, Minister Gama visited the Luiswishi mine
and publicly disclosed some of the Commission's findings to
the media, declaring that the mine was highly radioactive.
This upset Malta Forest. On 4 June Malta Forest called a
private press conference and tour of the mine. Only certain
media were invited, including Radio Okapi, RT Mwangaza, RTNC
Katanga, L,Agence Congolese de Presse (ACP),the journal
Quidproquo, Radio France International (RFI) and Lucien
Kahozi with the Voice of America. There are unconfirmed
allegations that Malta Forest discretely gave each journalist
$500, and only the RFI journalist refused the money. The
press event was organized by Kashinda Shongo, the former
director of RTNC and a communication advisor to Katangan
Governor Moise Katumbi Chapwe. Governor Katumbi did not know
Shongo was involved in the press event, and was reportedly
angry about it. The mine tour was led by:

- Fnu Cailteur, an Malta Forest geologist
- Henri de Harenne, a Malta Forest Spokesman
- Fnu Vermont, Director of CMSK (243997012073)
- Fnu Zeng, a Gecamines representative
- Fnu Mutamba, a Nuclear Scientist (243997291787)
- Jean Kasongo, CMSK Mine Engineer
- Guy Yumba, CMSK Engineer
- Fnu Twite, Gecamines Employee (243819748740)


9. (S) During the mine tour, Malta Forest said that a pocket
of uranium existed in the soil with the sterilized mine
tailings, but the radiation levels were not dangerously
elevated, and regular analysis of rock exports for radiation
(which is mandated by DRC law) by Alex Stewart and Company
have never detected strong radioactive levels. Malta Forest

KINSHASA 00000796 003 OF 003


chastised the Commission for not working with Malta Forest
technicians during the investigation, and said that the
Commission's use of roentgens to calculate the results could
skew them. Malta Forest said that raw rock from the mine was
treated at the concentrator in Kipushi, and that from here
Malta Forest exported concentrations of copper and cobalt to
Finland, China and India.


10. (S) In early and mid June, shortly after the Malta Forest
press conference at Luiswishi, several pro-Malta Forest
articles appeared in DRC papers. On 14 June, for example, an
article appeared in Le Reference Plus entitled, "A Black Hand
Wants to Discredit the Malta Forest Group". These articles
generally claimed that DRC officials were trying to discredit
Malta Forest in order to extract bribes or promote parallel
business interests.
MEECE