Seventy percent of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. State-owned and Chinese mining companies dominate the sector. But 15 percent of Congo’s mining operations are in the informal sector, with more than 200,000 people working in unregulated and poorly ventilated mines.that between 5,000 and 35,000 children, some as young as 6, work in these unregulated operations.Congo is also sitting on the world’s largest reserves.
“Any truly ethical response to this problem would not support disengagement from [Congo] or involve the boycotts of its cobalt,”Mark Dummet, the head of business and human rights at Amnesty International. “Instead, what we, as activists, consumers, auto makers, mining companies and governments alike need to be pushing for are practical solutions that place human rights at the heart of the energy transition.”Taking the minerals out of the ground is only the first step.
When it comes to processing, there is one major player: China, which handles more than half of the minerals critical to EV batteries. These elements aren’t used only to power EVs; they also appear in everything from building materials to toys. But as the demand for EV components soars, so could dependency on China’s refining infrastructure.