BMW has commissioned two independent audits of the Bou Azzer mine operated by the Moroccan company Managem, after a German newspaper said toxic arsenic was found in water samples taken from mines in the country. Managem has said that an audit of its water supplies showed no irregularities.

According to a November 15 report from Reuters, BMW has commissioned two investigations into the mine to examine social and environmental standards at the location.

"Based on these results we will decide on the way forward," a BMW spokesperson added.

Managem’s Bou Azzer mine supplies BMW with the cobalt needed to make electric car batteries. BMW sources about 20% of its cobalt from Morocco.

Prior to Managem releasing its audit, BMW told Reuters it was seeking clarity on the company’s mining operations after the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung said that its reporters found violations of environmental and labor protection standards at Moroccan mines, including excessive levels of arsenic in water samples. The report also claimed that Managem wasn’t complying with international standards that protect workers and take action against critical trade unions.

In a statement, Managem said it was maintaining the "highest standards in the industry in terms of quality, safety and respect for the environment.”

"Since the opening of the mine, no arsenic-related occupational illnesses have been identified, nor have any arsenic-related illnesses in the Bou Azzer mine area been reported," Managem said. "Annual studies and audits carried out, as part of ISO certification, confirm that heavy metal and trace element analyses show no irregularities in concentration levels that exceed drinking and irrigation water standards."

The World Health Organization says long-term exposure to arsenic could lead to chronic poisoning, with symptoms including skin lesions and cancers.