Metallic Ores in Congo Can Light Bulbs? Science Says, No [Fact Check]

Online videos claiming to demonstrate that African rocks can generate electricity have been widely shared and viewed. Some social media users have suggested that these rocks could potentially solve Africa's energy crisis. However, experts have analyzed the footage and stated that such capabilities' claims are highly doubtful.

The videos were shared by various individuals, including South African businessman Daniel Marven, who has a large following of over 800,000 people. His tweet alone has garnered over 2 million views. Another Twitter user also posted a video of a person lighting an LED light by touching wires attached to a small rock piece.

Spreading 'Sparkling News'

Marven posted a video that received over a million views, and later it was picked up by a popular Twitter page, African Archives, which went viral with over 35 million views. The video shows a man lighting up an electric bulb using a rock and a voice speaking in Swahili with a Congolese accent. A reverse image search revealed that the video previously appeared on the Facebook page of Mohamed.

First University in Morocco, last November with the caption "Lithium!!?" but with no additional information. The BBC attempted to reach out to the university but did not receive a response. The subsequent Twitter post claims that these sparking rocks were found in Zimbabwe. It would help the country to have sustainable energy as Zimbabwe is Africa's largest producer of lithium, which is widely used in producing batteries for electric cars and mobile devices. Professor Stuart Haszeldine from the School of GeoSciences at Edinburgh University expressed skepticism that the videos depict free electrical energy.

He stated that he had never seen anything geologically like this and suggested that the rocks were connected to electrical power sources not shown in the video images. He also pointed out that a gloved hand in the lower part of the video showing the sparking rocks was revealing. Professor Haszeldine posits that this suggests that current flows from an unseen battery through the rock being held with the glove (so that the current does not flow through the person's hand) and to the ground through the second rock. He explains that metallic ores are good conductors of electricity, and the glove is an insulator that prevents the current from travelling through the person's body to the ground.

(Photo: Getty Images)
Tantalum from coltan mined in DR Congo is vital for manufacturing mobile phones.

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Electricity From Rocks?

With regards to the video showing an illuminated LED bulb, he finds it suspicious because there are three hands (belonging to two people) in the demonstration. Professor Haszeldine believes the demonstration looks like the current flows when two hands touch and the wires are mostly an illusion. He suggests that it could be interesting to get a close-up magician to look at the video and see if a trick of misdirection can be spotted. A screenshot from the video shows that the bulb remains lit even when one of the wires has become separated from the rock, indicating that the rock has nothing to do with the circuit, as reported by BBC.

The Democratic Republic of Congo produces a wealth of valuable mineral ores, including coltan, which, when refined, yields metallic tantalum. This heat-resistant powder can hold a high electrical charge. These properties make it valuable in manufacturing components used in cell phones, laptops, and other electronics. Dr. Raji of Plymouth University states that it is impossible to confirm whether any of the rocks shown in the videos are coltan without testing them in a geology lab, but even if they were, they could not generate electricity on their own.

Therefore, the claims that these rocks can produce electricity are incorrect. Dr. Ikenna Okonkwo, a geology lecturer at the University of Nigeria, also reviewed the videos and believes the rocks look more like zinc or lead ore. These ores can't power a bulb. He suggests they might hold static electricity similar to some fabrics, but it wouldn't be enough to power an LED light bulb. Dr. Okonkwo concludes that the videos appear to be some trick.

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