The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produces nearly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt, a mineral essential for electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy storage. The demand for this metal has transformed regions like Kolwezi, where industrial operators such as Glencore and several Chinese firms work alongside thousands of artisanal miners.
Many miners — including women and children — dig and wash cobalt ore by hand, often earning just $1–$3 per day in unsafe conditions. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Save the Children estimate that tens of thousands of minors remain involved in unregulated mining, exposing the human cost of the global green transition.
Within artisanal sites, there is a stark division of labour. Men typically work as diggers, excavating ore from deep pits and earning between $3 and $10 daily, sometimes more on productive days. Women and children, however, usually wash and sort the ore — a task involving hours in contaminated water and dust — for as little as $0.50 to $2 per day. This gendered division reflects a deeper imbalance in both income and risk.
Once extracted, the ore is sold to local traders and buying houses, many of which are Chinese-owned. These intermediaries purchase unwashed ore at lower prices, often reaping significant mark-ups after processing. They then sell bulk quantities to exporters and refiners, capturing most of the early profit — while miners retain only 1–3% of the final export value.
From there, the supply chain extends globally: •Export and Refining → Shipped primarily to China, which handles about 70% of global cobalt refining, producing cobalt sulphate and cobalt hydroxide for industrial use. •Battery and Component Manufacturing → Converted into materials for companies like CATL, LG, Panasonic, and Samsung SDI. •Global Brands and Consumers → Integrated into products by Tesla, Apple, BYD, and Volkswagen, driving the world’s shift to renewable technologies. •Recycling and Secondary Supply → A small but growing segment, recovering cobalt from used batteries to support circular economy goals.
As the world races toward cleaner energy, the cobalt paradox deepens — a resource that powers sustainability yet thrives on inequality. The journey from the muddy pits of Kolwezi to global showrooms exposes a supply chain that fuels innovation while keeping those at its origin trapped in poverty and risk.
Source: DW News
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