A joint venture between Gécamines and l'Enterprise Générale Malta Forrest was producing copper-cobalt concentrates from the mine, exported to OM Group's Kokkola refinery in Finland under a long-term supply contract.

In November 2002, Forrest announced that the mine would close for an indefinite period of time for a complete refurbishment and to make improvements to the flotation plant, which had been in continuous operation for 5 years.

[8] Leaked diplomatic cables caused allegations that US officials were ignoring reports of dangerously high levels of radiation at Luiswishi mine, and implied that uranium was being separated from the ore which purportedly held only copper and cobalt.

Forrest noted that although uranium was present in the copper and cobalt ore from the mine, it was at far too low a grade to be exploited.

DRC government officials and United Nations personnel had visited the mine and found no problems.