A COMPREHENSIVE report released Wednesday sheds light on the dire consequences of industrial cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), revealing significant human rights violations and environmental devastation. Contrary to the narrative propagated by multinational mining corporations, the report exposes the harsh reality faced by communities living in proximity to cobalt mines, challenging the perception of ‘clean’ and ‘sustainable’ cobalt production.
Titled Beneath the Green: A critical look at the cost of industrial cobalt mining in the DRC, the 110-page report is a collaborative effort between UK corporate watchdog RAID and the DRC-based African Resources Watch (AFREWATCH). It represents one of the first comprehensive studies examining the impact of cobalt mining on both human rights and the environment in the region.
The report focuses on the cobalt-rich region around Kolwezi, considered the epicentre of cobalt mining in the DRC. Through extensive fieldwork spanning 19 months and involving visits to 25 villages and towns near major cobalt and copper mines, researchers gained insights into the lived experiences of communities directly affected by mining activities.
Disturbingly, the findings paint a grim picture of widespread pollution and its detrimental effects on both human health and the environment. Local residents reported alarming levels of toxic contamination, resulting in severe health problems and devastating consequences for agriculture and ecosystems.
According to the report, water pollution emerged as a significant concern, with communities struggling to access clean water for drinking and basic hygiene. Shockingly, 56 percent of respondents reported adverse impacts on women’s reproductive health, including irregular menstruation and urogenital infections, while children exhibited increased vulnerability to skin diseases and other ailments.
Moreover, the contamination has taken a heavy toll on agricultural productivity, with nearly all respondents citing drastic reductions in crop yields and subsequent economic hardships. Many families reported being forced to reduce food intake to one meal a day, withdraw children from school due to financial constraints, and forego essential healthcare.
The investigation also uncovered alarming evidence of environmental degradation, with at least 22 scientific studies confirming severe pollution of rivers, lakes, and wetlands resulting from mining activities. Despite companies’ claims of implementing measures to mitigate contamination risks, numerous incidents of toxic spills and inadequate cleanup efforts were documented, exacerbating the plight of affected communities.
The report implicates both European and Chinese mining companies operating in the region, which supply cobalt to major electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla, Volkswagen, and General Motors. While some efforts have been made to address water scarcity through borehole construction, none of the companies met minimal standards for clean water provision, further highlighting the disparity between profits generated by mining activities and the failure to safeguard basic human rights.
Critically, the report underscores the Congolese government’s failure to enforce environmental regulations, allowing mining companies to operate with impunity despite strong legislation in place. National regulatory agencies, hampered by resource constraints and a lack of expertise, have struggled to hold mining companies accountable, perpetuating the cycle of environmental degradation and human suffering.
In response to these findings, RAID and AFREWATCH have called on electric vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders in the supply chain to prioritise ethically sourced cobalt and exert pressure on mining companies to adhere to sustainable practices. As the demand for cobalt continues to rise with the proliferation of electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, urgent action is needed to address the systemic issues plaguing the cobalt mining industry in the DRC.
