These mines are illegal and do not follow any safety guidelines for the mining process. According to government estimates, 20 percent of the cobalt supply comes from artisanal mines that rely mainly on human muscle rather than updated mining equipment. Recent investigations carried out by Amnesty International and CNN brought to light the horrors of cobalt mining in Congo. The current cobalt market outlook and extensive availability in Congo should be captivating for the country but it is not the case. DRC supplies 58 percent of the world’s cobalt mining reserves. More than half of cobalt mined globally comes from a small country situated in Central Africa whose economy has been crippled due to years of war-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). However, behind the clean and green initiative, there lies a dark truth that many chose to ignore. As governments worldwide push towards greener and cleaner fuel, cobalt is becoming a highly sought-after metal that could phase out petrol and diesel through the use of electric vehicles. Currently, 50 percent of the total cobalt produced is used in batteries however, other end uses include superalloys, hard metals, and catalysts.īatteries rich in cobalt are expected to be a greener substitute for traditional lead-acid batteries, as they are smaller and hold more power. The popularity of electric vehicles also increases cobalt demand, which is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9 percent from 2016 to 2022. It is expected that the demand for a cleaner energy source will further increase the demand for cobalt, due to its use in Lithium Ion batteries. In recent years, the demand for portable electronic devices and rechargeable batteries has increased, which has, in fact, led to an increased demand for cobalt. After mining and processing, cobalt may end up in smartphones, electric car batteries or any other rechargeable battery. It is a naturally occurring mineral mostly found in combination with nickel and silver. IntroductionĬobalt, a hard, lustrous, silver-grey metal is one of the most important raw materials that power the Lithium Ion battery. The cleaned mineral is then sold to traders in the nearby market who sell the ores to smelting facilities. On any given day, these people wash 8–10 sacks of ore, each weighing close to 50 kg for 1,500 Congolese francs (~ $1.5 per day). These children wash the ores with their bare hands, which have led to an increase in reported skin infections. It is common to see children between the ages of 6–17 working here. The region has a lake where hundreds of people, including women and children, wash and clean cobalt ore that was scavenged from the adjacent industrial mining concessions. Kapata is a township that was originally designed for mine workers in the outskirts of Kolwasi. The only tools used for mining are mallets, chisels and shovels with no basic protective gear like gloves, boots, and face masks. These mines are unprotected, and there are high chances of accidents due to cave-ins and, to overcome the fear of accidents, the miners resort to alcohol. Miners work barefoot and use ropes tied to wooden planks to climb in and out of the mines. The mines run more than 30 meters in depth. Although mining in the neighborhood is illegal (as Kasula is not a designated artisanal mining zone), local residents, as well as thousands of miners who had migrated to the region, have dug hundreds of ‘rat-hole mines’. In mid-2014, the residents of Kasula neighborhood, in Kolwasi, discovered that a rich stream of cobalt ores run underground. Kolwasi is a small town in Congo that is built around major industrial copper and cobalt mines. Case Study: The Mines in Kasula Neighborhood It discusses in detail the conditions in which the mineral is mined, why child labor is being used and suggests a possible solution to eradicate the issue. This article highlights how children are exploited in a pursuit to meet the global demand of cobalt. Due to the lack of adequate rules and regulations, children in low-income economies can be easily exploited. Major economies and governments are implementing laws and regulations against the exploitation of children, but they are neither properly implemented nor monitored. To meet the ever-increasing demand for cobalt, children from low-income economies are sent into mines rather than schools to meet the demand. Cobalt is an important raw material used in manufacturing Lithium Ion batteries. Along with the demand for batteries, the mining and trading of cobalt have risen. Rechargeable batteries have seen an upsurge in demand due to the increased use of smartphones and the hype around electric vehicles.
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