Siddharth Kara is a researcher in modern slavery and recently published a book on the cobalt rush. Department of Labor added lithium-ion batteries to a list of goods produced by child labor, specifically because of children involved in the mining of cobalt in the country. Mine collapses have caused hundreds of deaths and injuries. Artisanal mining is often done with no personal protective equipment, in chaotic conditions. Photos: The city of Kolwezi in satellite images from 20, shows the rapid expansion of cobalt mines.īut this shadow economy is often dangerous and rife with human rights violations, observers said. Satellite imagery provided by Planet Labs shows the dramatic growth of copper and cobalt mines in and around Kolwezi over the last 5 years as demand has skyrocketed. The Biden administration in January released a memorandum of understanding with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Zambia, outlining plans to help strengthen the African countries' EV battery supply chain. But now, the world is turning to it for its essential role in lithium-ion batteries for phones and electric vehicles, or EVs. Cobalt, which is mainly produced as a byproduct of copper and nickel, was ignored for a long time in favor of those more in-demand minerals. The Democratic Republic of the Congo produces an estimated 70% of the world's cobalt, and most of it comes from the city of Kolwezi. LONDON - As officials around the world call for a transition to a greener economy, one city is being transformed to accommodate the growing demand for one important mineral: cobalt.
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