Cobalt is a rare metal (mineral) (element on the periodic table).
Demand
Lithium-ion batteries make up most of the world's demand for cobalt. But this demand would be nearly 250 times higherIt is estimated that 1 in 250 cars on the road is electric
- How many electric cars in the world? - Feb 1, 2023 - 8 Billion Trees - https://8billiontrees.com/carbon-offsets-credits/cars/how-many-electric-cars-in-the-world/
Small smartphone/laptop batteries wouldn't be much in comparison. if all vehicles were electric(...)( powered with lithium-ion batteries ). There wouldn't even be enough cobalt mines on Earth to supply this.
Supply
Child labor
Over 70% of cobalt comes from the Congo. About 20% of Congolese cobalt comes from unregulated "artisan mines" where children do most of the labor (why(...)( 1- Families so poor that both the parents and children must go to work; 2- Children are used for entering smaller (often dangerous) tunnels in the earth. )).
External links
See also
- Minerals/table - includes data on cobalt's global mineral reserves and estimated labor-intensity