Wednesday 9 September 2020

Tesla joins Fair Cobalt Alliance to support miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Electric vehicle (EV) and technology giant Tesla has joined the Fair Cobalt Alliance.

The recently-launched movement aims to support informal cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo, end the use of child labour and improve working conditions across the region.

The organisation said: "The Fair Cobalt Alliance drives the development of fair cobalt by supporting the professionalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining site management, ensuring an uptake of responsible mining practices and channelling financial investment into mine improvements, with the goal of making mines safer, minimising environmental impact and creating decent working conditions for men and women working at the mines."

The country currently produces approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt, which is predominantly used to produce batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics - demand for the metal is forecast to surge as energy infrastructure and transport systems increasingly rely on the use of such materials as the world works towards decarbonisation.