Small-scale mining in the DRC involves people of all ages, including children, obligated to work under harsh conditions. Of the 255,000 Congolese mining for cobalt, 40,000 are children, some as young as six years.
How many children are involved in cobalt mining?
In 2014, Unicef estimated that about 40,000 boys and girls were working in all the mines across southern DRC, many of them involved in cobalt mining.
How does cobalt get mined?
Cobalt is recovered through nickel mining operations as a by-product of refining.The identified cobalt resources in the world total about 25 million tons. The ocean floor has manganese nodules that form when hot water from deep in the Earth comes into contact with the cold ocean water.
Is cobalt mined ethically?
Low labor costs, loose regulations, and poor governance in the DRC allow for the flourishing of artisanal mining and cheap sources of cobalt. However, cobalt from the DRC is tainted by ethical and humanitarian issues, including: Child labor. Corruption.
How is cobalt mined in the Congo?
Congo supplies over 70% of the world’s cobalt but almost 10% of that comes from miners digging by hand at unregulated sites. Deterred by possible human rights abuses in the supply chain, electric car makers including Volkswagen and Tesla are seeking to reduce their use of cobalt.
Does Tesla use child labour?
“Tesla does not, and will not, tolerate the use of slave or child labor in the manufacturing of its products,” says its conflict-minerals policy.
Is child labor used to mine lithium?
A March 5, 2018 report by CBS News of its investigation into cobalt mining (used in lithium batteries) found child labor being used in the dangerous mining of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Does Tesla use cobalt from Congo?
Tesla struck a deal in 2020 with Glencore (LON: GLEN) to buy cobalt from its Congo mines, but it has also been seeking to reduce its reliance on the metal. DRC holds around 70% of the world’s reserves of cobalt, crucial for the lithium-ion batteries used in the fast-growing EV sector.
Does Tesla use cobalt?
Their new range of 4680 batteries intended for the new generation of Tesla cars do not use nickel-manganese-cobalt cathode but a high-nickel cathode. Also, these batteries, scheduled to find their way into new Teslas in 2022, use silicon anode instead of a graphite one.
Where does Tesla get its cobalt?
In 2020, Tesla secured a deal with Swiss mining giant Glencore. Although Glencore gets most of its cobalt from the DRC, Tesla has stipulated in its contract that suppliers use “conflict-free” minerals.
Who owns the cobalt mines in the Congo?
As of last year, 15 of the 19 cobalt-producing mines in Congo were owned or financed by Chinese companies, according to a data analysis by The Times and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. The biggest alternative to Chinese operators is Glencore, a Switzerland-based company that runs two of the largest cobalt mines there.
Is cobalt toxic to mine?
Particles emitted during cobalt mining consists radioactive emissions, cancer-causing particles, and particles which may cause vision problems, vomiting and nausea, heart problems, and Thyroid damage.
How much cobalt is in a Tesla battery?
For instance, Tesla’s current vehicle batteries contain less than five percent cobalt and the company announced in September 2020 that they are developing their own batteries that will be cobalt-free.
Does Glencore use child labor?
We do not tolerate any form of child, forced, or compulsory labour in our supply chain. We support and respect human rights in a manner consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Glencore does not purchase, process or trade any artisanally mined cobalt or copper…
Which country is the largest producer of cobalt?
the Democratic Republic of Congo
The leading country in worldwide cobalt mine production in 2020 was the Democratic Republic of Congo, having produced an estimated 95,000 metric tons that year.
Is Congo the richest country in the world?
The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered to be the richest country in the world regarding natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of U.S. $24 trillion.
Does Amazon use child labor?
1. Young Labor. Amazon does not tolerate the use of child labor. Suppliers are required to engage workers who are: (i) 15 years old, (ii) the age of completion of compulsory education, or (iii) the minimum age to work in the country where work is performed, whichever is greater.
Did Elon Musk’s parents own an emerald mine?
In the mid-1980s, the family profited handsomely from Errol Musk’s purchasing of an emerald mine, after selling their airplane for £80,000 (the equivalent of £320,000 today).
Does the US have cobalt mines?
World Resources: Identified cobalt resources of the United States are estimated to be about 1 million tons. Most of these resources are in Minnesota, but other important occurrences are in Alaska, California, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
Is cobalt used in Tesla batteries?
Tesla (TSLA. O) batteries typically use nickel-cobalt-aluminium (NCA) but the dominant cathode chemistry in the auto sector is nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM).
Is cobalt used in electric cars?
Cobalt is one of the primary metals in lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from laptops to cell phones to electric cars.
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