The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for some two-thirds of the world’s cobalt, dwarfing the output of its closest competitors, Australia and Russia. Around 15-20% of Congo’s cobalt supply is dug up by artisanal miners like those working at UCK Drain. Tunneling deep into the red dirt is hard and dangerous work. However, it’s somewhat safer here than at other artisanal mines in the country. The mine is one of eight that are part of RCS’s Better Mining program, which aims to continuously monitor and support the improvement of conditions on and around artisanal and small-scale mine sites. Partner companies along the supply chain can view the data logged in the program and react to it. This is important as the demand for cobalt continues to skyrocket. Better Mining has also launched information campaigns in the surrounding schools and churches to try to keep children away from the mine site.
SOURCE: DW
