15 10 2025
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Congo’s minor children are dying because of China’s brutal exploitation
You hear about green tech and renewables as the solution for the climate crisis. Solar panels. Electric cars. Batteries. But behind those shiny promises lies a darker reality: children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are being used to mine cobalt and other essential minerals. Much of that exploitation is driven by Chinese companies and interests.
Tens of Thousands of Children Forced into Mines
An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 children work in artisanal mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some are as young as 6 or 7 years old.
These children are not there by choice. They are trafficked. They crawl through tiny holes, work without protective gear, handle toxic or radioactive minerals, and are exposed to brutal dangers. Roofs collapse. They carry heavy loads. They breathe poisonous dust. Many earn barely anything.
Chinese Companies: Not Just Investors, But Operators
It is not just remote actors. Chinese companies are deeply involved at every level. They own or control many mine operations. They supervise on the ground. They oversee extraction. In many cases, they purchase ore from artisanal mines that operate under horrific conditions.
One mine in Kasulo, operated by Dongfang Congo Mining (a Chinese firm), was cited in hearings. At such sites, children are forced to dig bare-handed into earth, subjected to exposure to dust and minerals, severe injury risk, and lack of medical care.
Life and Death in the Mines
Working long hours, seven days a week, children in these artisanal mines are exposed to collapse of mine shafts, inhalation of toxic metals, and sometimes radioactive contamination.
Many of these children are unremunerated or grossly under-paid. If injured or sick, there is often no medical support. Some never leave the mines alive. The danger is constant. The damage to their bodies, minds, and futures is permanent.
Laws Exist, But They Aren’t Enforced
Both Congolese law and international law forbid the worst kinds of child labor. However, these laws are weakly enforced. Corruption, weak state institutions, and the remoteness of the mining areas enable Chinese firms and local intermediaries to operate without oversight.
Military or security forces are sometimes complicit. In some Chinese-operated sites, Chinese personnel reportedly instructed Congolese military officers to beat or whip local workers.
Environmental Toll Adds to Human Suffering
The environmental damage compounds life-threatening risks. Water, soil, and air are poisoned by mining runoff, acid leaching, heavy metals. This kills crops, contaminates drinking sources, undermines nutrition, and contributes to disease.
Pregnant women working in these conditions face additional risks. Their children may be born with complications. Lifespans and quality of life are damaged for entire communities.
China’s “Green Economy” Fueled by Children
The China-backed mining boom in the Congo is one of the most brutal examples of how the so-called “green transition” is built on exploitation. The children’s blood is, literally, part of that cost.
