{"id":453171,"date":"2022-05-26T17:28:36","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T14:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/"},"modified":"2022-05-26T17:28:36","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T14:28:36","slug":"cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/","title":{"rendered":"#Cobalt-free batteries are here, so why are we still mining the mineral?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4ed23c74fc8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4ed23c74fc8\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#%E2%80%9CCobalt-free_batteries_are_here_so_why_are_we_still_mining_the_mineral%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Cobalt-free batteries are here, so why are we still mining the mineral?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#The_numbers_are_going_up\" >The numbers are going up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#Do_we_need_cobalt\" >Do we need cobalt?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#Cobalt-free_batteries_are_here\" >Cobalt-free batteries are here<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#Theres_a_but%E2%80%A6\" >There\u2019s a but\u2026<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cobalt-free-batteries-are-here-so-why-are-we-still-mining-the-mineral\/#Can_cobalt_or_other_earth_minerals_ever_be_mined_sustainably_and_ethically\" >Can cobalt or other earth minerals ever be mined sustainably and ethically?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CCobalt-free_batteries_are_here_so_why_are_we_still_mining_the_mineral%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Cobalt-free batteries are here, so why are we still mining the mineral?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n                            <span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">For a long time, we\u2019ve been hearing that cobalt is terrible. Its mining is linked to child labor, environmental damage, and loss of habitat to local wildlife \u2014 and its use is increasing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there are some signs for the better. We decided to take a look.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_numbers_are_going_up\"><\/span><strong>The numbers are going up<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cobaltinstitute.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/FINAL_Cobalt-Market-Report-2021_Cobalt-Institute-1.pdf?utm_source=convertkit&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=%F0%9F%93%8A+EVs+now+biggest+Cobalt+users+%E2%80%93+%E2%9A%A1+Uber%27s+EV+services+%E2%80%93+%F0%9F%A5%B6+bZ4x+doesn%27t+like+cold%3F%20-%208211946\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cobalt Institute<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, electric vehicles are the highest drivers of cobalt demand, consuming 59,000 tonnes, or 34% of the global total in 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1387537 js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"727\" height=\"324\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed.jpeg 727w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-280x125.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-270x120.jpeg 270w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-540x241.jpeg 540w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift-basics%2F2022%2F05%2F26%2Fthe-cobalt-free-electric-vehicle-batteries-are-here%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: EVs are the biggest users of cobalt. Credit: Cobalt Institute\" data-title=\"Share EVs are the biggest users of cobalt. Credit: Cobalt Institute on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share EVs are the biggest users of cobalt. Credit: Cobalt Institute on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>EVs are the biggest users of cobalt. Credit: Cobalt Institute<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1387537\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"727\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed.jpeg 727w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-280x125.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-270x120.jpeg 270w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/unnamed-540x241.jpeg 540w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The EV sector uses a combination of lithium-ion battery chemistries, with cobalt-containing cathodes maintaining the largest share. This is due to their energy density and performance \u2013cobalt is particularly important for stability and safety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Institute predicts that cobalt demand will continue rising rapidly as the EV transition progresses.\u00a0 70% of coming growth will be from the EV sector.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_we_need_cobalt\"><\/span><strong>Do we need cobalt?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, lithium-ion batteries do not have to use cobalt. Lithium-ion chemistries without cobalt include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lithium Ferrous (Iron) Phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lithium Titanate (Li4Ti5O12 or LTO)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cobalt-free_batteries_are_here\"><\/span><strong>Cobalt-free batteries are here<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2020, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-catl-batteries\/chinas-catl-is-developing-new-ev-battery-with-no-nickel-cobalt-exec-says-idUSKCN25B0BA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">according<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to Reuters, Chinese battery maker CATL announced the development of an EV battery containing zero nickel or cobalt, which are typically key ingredients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1387540 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-796x448.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-796x448.png 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-280x158.png 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-240x135.png 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1592x896.png 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1.png 1640w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift-basics%2F2022%2F05%2F26%2Fthe-cobalt-free-electric-vehicle-batteries-are-here%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Cobalt-free batteries by SVOLT. Image credit: SVOLT\" data-title=\"Share Cobalt-free batteries by SVOLT. Image credit: SVOLT on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Cobalt-free batteries by SVOLT. Image credit: SVOLT on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Cobalt-free batteries by SVOLT. Image credit: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/svolt-eu.com\/en\/completely-cobalt-free-battery-cells-from-svolt-available-for-order-now\/\">SVOLT<\/a><\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1387540 size-featured_img\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-796x448.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-796x448.png 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-280x158.png 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-240x135.png 240w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-480x270.png 480w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1592x896.png 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/SVOLT_NMX_115Ah_001-2048x1152-1.png 1640w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, in August last year, Chinese EV battery manufacturer SVOLT <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/svolt-unveils-worlds-first-series-production-cobalt-free-battery-to-be-assembled-in-vehicles-at-chengdu-motor-show-2021-301365031.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unveiled<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> what it claims to be the world\u2019s first cobalt-free battery. The company has been selling <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/svolt-eu.com\/en\/completely-cobalt-free-battery-cells-from-svolt-available-for-order-now\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cobalt-free battery cells<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since February 2021.\u00a0https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/topic\/electric-vehicles<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specifically, SVOLT developed NMx cells, made from cathode material (75% nickel and 25% <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/anime-manga\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"6\" title=\"Anime || Manga\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">manga<\/a>nese). They claim that these are more sustainable and around 5% cheaper than classic high-nickel batteries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And Tesla is heading the pack. Just last month, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/autos-transportation\/iron-man-elon-musk-places-his-tesla-battery-bets-2022-04-27\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reuters<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealed that nearly half the Tesla vehicles produced in the first quarter of 2022 were equipped with cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In China, Tesla works with CATL and LG-chem to make batteries. They also make their batteries in-house with Panasonic. So the impact could be even greater overall if they\u2019ve created a demand for LPF batteries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We just didn\u2019t hear much about any of this. We were too busy talking about Elon and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>. This is why you need a PR department, Elon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Theres_a_but%E2%80%A6\"><\/span><strong>There\u2019s a but\u2026<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nickel mining isn\u2019t great either. It\u2019s causing <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/norilsk-russian-arctic-became-one-polluted-places-earth-rcna6481\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">significant environmental damage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Russia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_cobalt_or_other_earth_minerals_ever_be_mined_sustainably_and_ethically\"><\/span><strong>Can cobalt or other earth minerals ever be mined sustainably and ethically?\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1387539 js-lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"305\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-280x171.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-221x135.jpeg 221w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-443x270.jpeg 443w\"\/><figcaption><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fshift-basics%2F2022%2F05%2F26%2Fthe-cobalt-free-electric-vehicle-batteries-are-here%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Forced child labor at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Minding Hearts.\" data-title=\"Share Forced child labor at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Minding Hearts. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Forced child labor at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: Minding Hearts. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"\/><\/a>Forced child labor at a cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mindinghearts.com\/2021\/12\/28\/the-push-for-electric-vehicles-uses-child-labor\/\">Minding Hearts<\/a>.<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1387539\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1.jpeg 500w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-280x171.jpeg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-221x135.jpeg 221w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Cobalt-500x305-1-443x270.jpeg 443w\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some 74% of mined supply comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. 72% of the total production is refined in China. Both regions have been accused of environmental and human rights abuses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since 2013, section 1501 of the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cftc.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/idc\/groups\/public\/@swaps\/documents\/file\/hr4173_enrolledbill.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dodd-Frank Act<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has required companies who might have conflict minerals in their supply chain to register with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and disclose their suppliers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There have been efforts to verify the chain of custody under the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/daf\/inv\/mne\/mining.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OECD\u2019s Supply Chain Due Diligence Guidance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/Documents\/Publications\/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UN\u2019s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford keeps <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/corporate.ford.com\/social-impact\/sustainability\/responsible-material-sourcing.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a list of all the initiatives<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it has either joined or co-founded to improve the sourcing of earth minerals like cobalt and lithium. They joined other automakers in 2019 to form the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sourcingnetwork.org\/aboutus\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Responsible Sourcing Blockchain Network<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (RSBN) to strengthen responsible sourcing efforts in mineral supply chains. In 2019, the group set up a pilot to explore the creation of <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ibm.com\/2019-01-16-Ford-Motor-Company-Huayou-Cobalt-IBM-LG-Chem-and-RCS-Global-Launch-Blockchain-Pilot-to-Address-Concerns-in-Strategic-Mineral-Supply-Chains\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an open, industry-wide blockchain platform<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that could trace and validate a range of minerals used in consumer products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s all part of a broader umbrella group, the <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sourcingnetwork.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Responsible Sourcing Network<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which works to end human rights abuses and forced labor associated with raw material mining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The group <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sourcingnetwork.org\/cobalt-study-download-page\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">produced a report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on efforts in this area. It notes that initiatives often fail at a local level, plagued by a lack of local ownership. Also, a problem is \u201cunproductive competition between responsible sourcing actors\u201d\u2013 no surprises there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s clear is that focusing on cobalt can detract from the impact of all the earth minerals that go into battery making. It\u2019s not just about mining but also ensuring longer lives for batteries. And,\u00a0 a greater focus on reusing their ingredients to reduce the reliance on mining the raw materials.\u00a0<\/span>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/the-cobalt-free-electric-vehicle-batteries-are-here\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Cobalt-free batteries are here, so why are we still mining the mineral?&#8221; For a long time, we\u2019ve been hearing that cobalt is terrible. Its mining is linked to child labor, environmental damage, and loss of habitat to local wildlife \u2014 and its use is increasing.\u00a0 But there are some signs for the better. We decided&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":453172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2022\/05\/Untitled-design-2022-05-26T155126.857.png&signature=1ea453a76992d5600a816e1ddb09fc03","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-453171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=453171"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453171\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=453171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=453171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=453171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}