How the world depends on small cobalt miners

  • 📰 TheEconomist
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 48 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 23%
  • Publisher: 92%

Energy Energy Headlines News

Energy Energy Latest News,Energy Energy Headlines

The metal is key to the global energy transition. But its artisanal market is broken

, from which 60-70% of the world’s cobalt is extracted . Most of Congo’s cobalt is a by-product of large copper mines which cannot quickly increase their output and have little incentive to do so unless copper prices also rise. The other big source of supply in Congo is so-called “artisanal” mining. Small-scale informal miners dig up about 15% of Congo’s cobalt. That is more than the entire output of Russia, the world’s second-largest producer .

Roughly 140,000-200,000 people in the Copperbelt work as artisanal miners. Most earn less than the equivalent of $10 per day, according to the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources , an arm of the German government. That is still a better wage than most get in a country where 73% earn less than $1.90 a day. Children work at an estimated 25-30% of mines, according to recent reports by, a club of mostly rich countries.

By law the trading depots that buy ores must be owned by Congolese. But they are usually financed by foreigners, primarily Chinese. Every depot is colloquially known as. At one lackeys of a politician conflate your correspondent’s journalistic interest with the commercial sort and ask whetherIt is mostly miners who seem to be getting exploited. Some of them say that traders’ scales and spectrometers are rigged. They bemoan their lack of market power, since Chinese buyers have purchasing sewn up.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Y resulta que muchas empresas europeas o canadienses están metidos en esos países, quienes compran esa materia prima.

I'm entertained by your take on 'small' miners...the depth of field in the photo makes him look 2 inches tall.

Cobalt was created by god.

We need a comprehensive energy policy.

Switch to sulfur batteries.

The total neglect of Africa's artisanal mining (and/or) industrial sector, urgently needs equity partnerships in private {Capex/Opex} inflows with skills development incentives! 🧐

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 6. in ENERGY

Energy Energy Latest News, Energy Energy Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Rolls-Royce reveals site shortlist for first small nuclear reactor factory\n\t\t\tJournalists in 50+ countries follow the constant flow of money made and lost in oil & gas while\n\t\t\ttracking emerging trends and opportunities in the future of energy. Don’t miss our exclusive\n\t\t\tnewsletter, Energy Source.\n\t\t
Source: ftenergy - 🏆 47. / 63 Read more »