Zijin Mining Group

Allegations regarding unfair compensation and relocation processes at Commus operations

COMMUS (Compagnie Minière de Musonoïe), a Chinese-owned cobalt mining company and Gécamines subsidiary, relocated hundreds of households in Kolwezi, DRC under disputed conditions. Residents received around $25,000 per household — well below the $40,000–$100,000 cost of replacement housing — while the company claimed averages of $80,000–$100,000. COMMUS opted for cash-only payments rather than following Congolese law, which requires sourcing equivalent replacement housing. Additionally, a government Relocation Commission skims 10% off compensation funds before they reach displaced residents.

Allegations of 'missing' $30M humanitarian funds linked to Manono project license…

Zijin Mining committed $70M in humanitarian aid for victims of violence in eastern DRC as part of activities connected to the Manono Lithium project license acquisition. Around $40M was reportedly received by Le Bouclier, an NGO led by a UDPS member who also sits on the COMINIÈRE board — a direct conflict of interest. The remaining $30M was reportedly parked in an anonymous temporary account with no public audit trail. Separately, the DRC's state anti-corruption body (IGF) flagged the sale of a 15% Dathcom stake to Zijin as a "cut-price sell-off," resulting in an estimated $120M revenue loss to the state.

Tensions with Ivanhoe Mines over characterization of seismic event at Kakula

On May 18, 2025, a seismic event struck the eastern section of the Kakula mine at the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in the DRC. Co-owner Zijin Mining publicly described "multiple roof-falling and rib-spalling," suggesting major structural damage. Ivanhoe Mines — the other key partner — formally disputed this, stating its geotechnical specialists found no evidence of collapsing stopes or structural pillars, characterizing the damage instead as minor rock scaling from sidewalls. Underground mining was suspended as a precaution. The public disagreement between partners raised concerns about transparency, joint venture governance, and the reliability of safety disclosures. Zijin subsequently indicated it may commission its own independent investigation. Copper production guidance for 2025–2027 was later revised downward.