Kolwezi is
an important mining centre for copper and cobalt. There are also uranium, radium,
oxide ores, and lime deposits. The Musonoi mine is a set of open-cut pits near
Kolwezi from which copper and other metals have been extracted since the 1940s.
The nearby Lake Nzilo was created by damming the Lualaba River to provide a
source of hydroelectric power and a reservoir of water for the mining
activities.
