Gold mining threatens protected UN heritage site in Congo

A UN heritage-protected wildlife reserve in Congo is under threat from gold miners.

For eight years, Kimia Mining, a Chinese mining company, has been vastly expanding inside an endangered World Heritage Site, and is being accused by locals and conservationists of decimating the environment.

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve became a protected site in 1996. The original boundaries of the reserve were established three decades ago by Congo’s…