The Secret Economy We Are All Linked To: Colbalt Mines in the Congo

Cobalt is a chemical element found within the earth’s crust. While there is a long history of cobalt use, including findings in glass from Pompeii and Persian beaded necklaces dating back to the third millennium B.C.E., it is now found in most people’s day-to-day lives through lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Most electronic devices use these batteries, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, electric vehicles and even e-cigarettes and vapes. The use of cobalt extends beyond the use of electronic products and can be found in costume jewelry, low-end makeup, face paints, magnetic products and so much more. 

This material is clearly in high demand and therefore is sourced from various countries. The largest cobalt deposit in the world is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC). DRC supplies 70% of cobalt use globally. While this may sound profitable to DRC, the country is in fact one of the poorest countries in the world. The people who source cobalt are faced with toxic environments, no safety laws and scarce income. 

Entire villages have been bulldozed and destroyed, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, in order to create large mining concessions on the land. Artisan miners are responsible for one-third of the cobalt extracted in DRC. There are an estimated “10,000 to 15,000 tunnels that are dug by hand by artisanal miners.” Within these tunnels, there is no ventilation, rock bolts or stabilization, creating a common occurrence of tunnels collapsing on top of the miners inside. Included in these miners are children who are forced to replace going to school with work so that they can provide for their families. The illegal practices that are allowed here are because of the “hidden economy where children and adults toil as slaves.” 

Miners are exploited immensely and are not being properly compensated for their work. The average daily income for an artisanal miner after spending hours of labor in confined, hazardous pits is anywhere from 50 cents to $2.50; this is but one reason why you will find most miners here without shoes on their feet carrying make-shift tools from metal pipes. 

Once materials are brought back to the surface, some being found in 300-foot deep, unstable tunnels, they are washed in streams and ponds. Toxic minerals are released into the water and air where women and children are cleaning them. This can lead to blistering skin, stillbirths and fetal abnormalities. Artisanal mines also “have disproportionately high rates of sexual assault against women.”

While Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected president of DRC, once pledged to benefit the people of the country with the resources and riches that are sourced on the land, the effort did not last long. Lumumba was assassinated within the first six months after the election and replaced by a violent, corrupt dictator. 
Regardless, there are still ways to help. The sad truth of the matter is that there is no way to verify that products with lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are from exploitative mines and environmental harm. However, shopping ethically from trustworthy, environmentally friendly brands is a way to start. Donating to Congolese hospitals, schools and nonprofits is another way to send help, as well as playing a role in or donating to humanitarian organizations. Likewise, one can join the Free Congo Movement or send letters to cobalt-using companies being sued due to the mistreatment of child miners asking them to do what’s right and settle the case such as Tesla and Apple.