The 1930s Belgian Congo Uranium Rush

The History of Belgium: A Small Country with a Giant Colonial Legacy — Fexingo History · Jun 5, 2026 · 7m · transcript

This episode dives into the little-known story of Belgium's control over the global uranium supply in the 1930s, centered on the Shinkolobwe mine in the Katanga province of the Belgian Congo. Discover how a radium mining operation accidentally became the world's primary source of high-grade uranium ore, the secrecy surrounding the find, and how this resource would later shape the Manhattan Project. We explore key figures like Edgar Sengier, the Belgian mining executive who stockpiled uranium in New York, and the colonial dynamics that kept the mine's true value hidden. We also…