Cobalt Mining and Human Rights Issues

Introduction

• The majority of cobalt, a key component in lithium batteries, comes from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• Cobalt is essential for manufacturing smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles.

Human Rights Concerns

• Human rights groups report that many miners, including children, work in dangerous conditions.
  • Miners often dig by hand, lacking safety equipment.
  • Work involves tunneling deep (up to 50 meters) under unsafe conditions.
  • Incidents reported where miners, including children, were buried alive.
• There is a lack of official statistics on mining fatalities in the DRC.

Legal Action

• A lawsuit has been filed against major tech companies (Apple, Google, Dell, Tesla, Microsoft) by a US-based human rights nonprofit.
  • Represents 14 families, including children injured and parents of children killed in mining accidents.
• Families claim children are paid as little as $2 a day.
  • Allegations that companies are aware of child labor in their supply chains.

Challenges in Supply Chain

• Experts argue tech companies struggle to ensure cobalt free of child labor due to:
  • Unregulated and widespread child labor.
  • Cobalt mined by children still ends up in the global supply chain.
• Estimates suggest thousands of child miners work in Congolese cobalt mines.
  • Ongoing study estimates about 30,000 children under 15 work in mines in Koloesi and Wakatanga.

Contributing Factors

• Rampant corruption in the Congolese government contributes to the problem.
  • Lack of regulation and enforcement.
  • Corruption allows mining operations to proceed without oversight.

Steps Needed for Change

• Implementation of mine inspections and safety regulations.
• Establishment of consequences for violations.
• The pending lawsuit is a step toward actionable change, but no trial date is set.

Conclusion

• The demand for cobalt continues to rise globally, complicating efforts to ensure ethical sourcing.