Cobalt is a pivotal component in today’s lithium-ion batteries, and plays a key role in electric vehicle (EV) range, safety and performance. The material is a by-product of either nickel or copper mining. Globally there is just one pure cobalt mine, which is based in Morocco and run by a company called CTT. The lion’s share of the world’s cobalt—about 75%—comes out of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically the Copper Belt in the southern part of the country.
While incredibly useful in EV batteries, cobalt has attracted negative attention in recent years due to links with worker exploitation in Congolese mines. Some EV makers are keen to move away from the material, but would that be a mistake?
