JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Chinese mining giant Zijin Mining said on Tuesday that it would cooperate with authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo after radiation was detected in a shipment of cobalt from its mine in the country which it then recalled.

The company said in a statement that above-normal radiation levels were detected on a cobalt consignment during a routine customs inspection in Botswana, even though the shipment had been tested prior to being exported.

Congolese authorities suspended the operating licence of Zijin's COMMUS mine over the radiation incident, which is being investigated.

(Reporting by Felix Njini; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Alexander Winning)