Rivers near Congo copper and cobalt mines are toxic, report says

River water near some of Democratic Republic of Congo’s biggest copper and cobalt mines is toxic and may be causing widespread health problems. Scientists from Congo’s University of Lubumbashi tested water in four rivers this month near some of the country’s largest mines and found them to be “hyper-acidic” or “very acidic,” according to a report Wednesday by UK-based corporate watchdog RAID and Congo’s African Resources Watch, which both commissioned the research.