Paul* was just 12 years old when he was forced to start working in mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country in Central Africa.
Day after day, he’d descend hundreds of feet underground without any protective gear. Using a small chisel, he’d spend up to 24 hours at a time searching for cobalt, an essential component of the rechargeable batteries that power our smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices.
Collecting cobalt is backbreaking—and life-threatening—work. At any moment, the mine’s tunnels could have caved in, leaving Paul buried in an avalanche of rocks and dirt. Cobalt miners are also exposed to toxic materials that can cause cancer, lung disease, and other serious health problems.
Last fall, an investigation by American journalists highlighted the hazardous conditions of the cobalt industry in the DRC, where 60 percent of the world’s cobalt is mined. The report detailed a number of human rights abuses, including a lack of worker protections and the use of child laborers like Paul.
Paul* was just 12 years old when he was forced to start working in mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Sixty percent of the world’s cobalt is mined in this country in central Africa.
Day after day, he’d travel hundreds of feet underground without any protective gear. Using a small chisel, he’d spend up to 24 hours at a time searching for cobalt. This metal is an essential ingredient of the rechargeable batteries that power our smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices.
Collecting cobalt is backbreaking work. It’s also a life-threatening task. At any moment, the mine’s tunnels could have caved in, leaving Paul buried under tons of rocks and dirt. Cobalt miners are also exposed to toxic materials. These can cause cancer, lung disease, and other serious health problems.
Last fall, an investigation by American journalists highlighted the dangerous conditions of the cobalt industry in the DRC. The report detailed numerous human rights abuses, including a lack of worker protections and the use of child laborers like Paul.