The Disturbing Reality of Cobalt Mining for Rechargeable Batteries

More than half of the world’s cobalt resources are located in the DRC, and over 70% of the world’s cobalt mining occurs there. Artisanal miners produce 20% of the country’s cobalt output. The remainder comes from foreign-owned firms, primarily Chinese, whose rechargeable battery industry accounts for around 60% of global cobalt demand. Cobalt is an essential raw material used by large tech companies for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, electronic devices, and electric cars. However, the DRC’s

The crisis of child labor in the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a deep and painful reality, revealing the darker side of global tech production. - Scale of the Issue: The DRC is at the heart of the world’s cobalt supply, producing about 75% of this critical mineral, essential for the batteries in smartphones and electric vehicles. Thousands of children are believed to work in dangerous conditions in artisanal mines, risking their lives to fuel the global tech industry.