Cobalt,

the dirty secret electric car manufactures do not want you to know about,

photograph Mining Journal, cobalt is a vital component of the lithium-ion batteries fitted to almost all EVs and PHEVs, maintaining the structural integrity of battery cathodes, no viable alternative currently exists, and while cobalt is also used in mobile phone and laptop batteries, a single EV requires between six and 12kg of the material, as EVs and PHEVs grow in popularity, an estimated 120,000 tonnes of cobalt will be required each year by 2030, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), produced 94,000 tonnes of cobalt, or 67% of global production in 2020, between 20 and 40 per cent of Congolese cobalt comes from ‘artisanal’ mines where the metal, a by-product of copper and nickel production, is often dug out by hand in unregulated conditions, sometimes by child workers, a UN’s report details how significant an issue this is, claiming roughly 40,000 children work “in extremely dangerous conditions, with inadequate safety equipment, for very little money in the mines in Southern Katanga.” These children earn meagre wages despite being exposed to physical dangers, as well as “psychological violations and abuse”, the report claims. The UN says child labour in cobalt mining is “widespread”, and yet people still buy cars that are proven to exploit children, amazing! for myself there is only on way to go, I have said it many times, hydrogen, from empty to full in under 10 minuets, what is not to like about hydrogen cells in cars?