Electric vehicle batteries rely heavily on cobalt, but mining this crucial element can result in severe environmental and human costs.
In a recent investigation for Mongabay, journalist Didier Makal traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), home to over half of the world’s cobalt reserves. He visited several villages in Lualaba province to document the impacts of cobalt mining.
Makal discovered that mining companies have been dumping acidic waste into the environment, causing death to fish and plants. Pollution has resulted in at least 11 fatalities, with many others suffering from skin conditions, premature births and stillbirths. In one village, acid runoff had led to the rotting of cassava crops, and other crops yielded poorly. Consequently, many residents are struggling to survive, with the village of Kabombwa almost entirely abandoned as its inhabitants were forced to relocate.
Most cobalt mining operations in the DRC are controlled by Chinese companies, with the state-owned company Gécamines holding shares in many of these firms. The investigation suggests that Gécamines is either complicit in or a victim of the impunity these companies enjoy.
