LONDON, Nov 5 (Reuters) – Residents living near a major Chinese-controlled cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo have sued the mine’s operator for $6.3 million, alleging that pollution harmed their health, according to UK-based corporate watchdog RAID and Congo-based nonprofit AFREWATCH.
The 27 residents’ lawsuit alleges that the Zijin Mining- controlled COMMUS copper and cobalt mine polluted the environment, RAID and AFREWATCH said in a statement.
The two groups said they commissioned the scientific studies that found the alleged pollution and effect on the environment, and are supporting the residents’ lawsuit.
COMMUS told Reuters it would contest the allegations, and that it takes responsibilities towards the local community and the environment seriously.
The claimants, including eight children, are seeking about $1.3 million in compensation and $5 million for environmental restoration.
Under Congo’s 2018 mining code, companies can be held liable for environmental damage unless they can prove it was caused by factors unrelated to their operations under.
“If successful, the case could pave the way for other communities living near industrial mines to seek justice,” RAID and AFREWATCH said in their joint statement.
LAWSUIT TARGETS GOVERNMENT, REGULATOR
The lawsuit, filed at the Commercial Court in Kolwezi, also targets the Congolese state and the environmental regulator ACE, accusing them of failing to properly monitor the mine and enforce regulations, the statement added.
Congo’s mines ministry and ACE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The court did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for documents.
The lawsuit cites scientific studies commissioned by RAID and AFREWATCH that found elevated levels of particulate pollution and contaminated water near the mine, they said in the statement.
COMMUS is 67%-owned by Zijin Mining, with state miner Gecamines and the Congolese government holding minority stakes. It has production capacity of more than 120,000 metric tons of copper and 2,000 tons of cobalt per year, according to the company.
Congo is the world’s largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer.
(Reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila and Fiston Mahamba; Editing by Jessica Donati and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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