RADIATION LEVELS AT THE LUISWISHI MINE

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