The changing attitude towards artisanal cobalt miners

By Chantelle Kotze | Mining Review Africa

The attitude towards cobalt mined by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) has come a long way in just a few short years. Once under the spotlight by end users as a questionable, high-risk source , but more recently under the spotlight as an increasingly safe, stable and traceable source.

As end-users continue to question and improve their understanding of the cobalt supply chain due to traceability concerns, strides continue to be made in improving and formalising ASM cobalt supply from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the world’s largest producer of this battery material.

The benefit of all of this in my opinion? Ensuring that ASM material is not only responsibly sourced, but provides social and economic benefits to artisanal miners – the most marginalised, vulnerable workforces…Full Story