DR Congo ordered an investigation into suspected illegal mining, after authorities seized thousands of tons of copper and cobalt. The probe could mark the start of a tougher response to illicit operators occupying sites, following years of complaints from some of the world’s biggest mining companies. The justice minister said police, soldiers, and mining officials confiscated more than 500 trucks and machinery at several sites in the country’s southeast.

DR Congo, the world’s largest cobalt producer and a major copper supplier, is courting investment in metals used in electric cars and electronics and seeking greater economic benefits from its mineral wealth. But the government faces pressure to protect investors’ mining rights, while safeguarding nearby communities, following repeated reports of harm to residents’ health and livelihoods.