Cobalt in lithium ion batteries. How do we solve the problem?

Cobalt has become an important ingredient in the batteries powering much of today's technology, from tiny devices to electric vehicles. Most of it comes from the mines of the DRC in Africa. Environmental groups have highlighted human welfare issues in those mines, including child labour. So what are the big tech firms doing to clean up their act, and what does the future hold for the hard working families in one of the poorest countries in the world?

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Research Links

Amnesty International

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/03/amnesty-challenges-industry-leaders-to-clean-up-their-batteries/

Statista

https://www.statista.com/statistics/339759/global-cobalt-mine-production/

EU Report on Cobalt Demand

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC112285/jrc112285_cobalt.pdf

Bloomberg New Energy Finance

https://about.bnef.com/new-energy-outlook/

https://bnef.turtl.co/story/neo2019/?teaser=true

https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/

2020 Lawsuit Article

https://www.lifegate.com/cobalt-mining-congo-tech-lawsuit

The Cobalt Institute

https://www.cobaltinstitute.org/ciraf.html

The OECD

https://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/mining.htm

Apple Supplier Responsibility Report

https://www.apple.com/uk/supplier-responsibility/

Microsoft Device Sustainability Report
Corporate Social Responsibility Report - Microsoft
query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com › cms › api › binary

Tesla 2019 Impact Report

https://www.tesla.com/ns_videos/2019-tesla-impact-report.pdf

AB InBev Blockchain

https://www.raconteur.net/manufacturing/supply-chain-transparency-blockchain

Umicore and Audi

https://www.umicore.com/en/media/press/battery-recycling-audi-and-umicore-start-closed-loop-for-cobalt-and-nickel

Blockchain consortium

https://www.ledgerinsights.com/blockchain-ford-ibm-lg-cobalt-minerals/

GEM Recycling

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3039452/chinas-gem-worlds-biggest-battery-recycler-helping-fuel-future-cars

https://www.bloombergquint.com/technology/meet-the-professor-whose-firm-is-helping-fuel-the-future-of-cars

Tesla approval for LFP in China
https://electrek.co/2020/06/11/tesla-secures-approval-model-3-cheaper-lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries/

PABEA-COBALT

https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/democratic-republic-of-congo-support-project-for-alternative-welfare-of-children-and-young-people-involved-in-the-cobalt-supply-chain-pabea-cobalt-appraisal-report-108712

https://projectsportal.afdb.org/dataportal/VProject/show/P-CD-I00-010

OAFLAD

http://www.oafla.org/

https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/unga-2019-women-are-africas-tigers-says-congolese-first-lady-african-development-bank-touts-3bn-fund-30418

DeSmog Article

https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/05/02/cnn-wrongly-blames-electric-cars-unethical-cobalt-mining




#cobalt #climatecrisis #actnow