Democratic Republic of the Congo
Overview
The DRC is the heart of the global cobalt trade: it holds roughly 70% of the world’s cobalt reserves and supplies the largest share of mined cobalt for EV batteries and electronics. It is also a major source of coltan and copper. That concentration means many of the energy transition’s worst-documented harms land here: tens of thousands of children in mining or related work, artisanal pits with hazardous conditions and wages sometimes under $2/day, U.S. government and NGO reports on forced labor risk, and communities reporting contaminated water and severe health impacts near industrial and artisanal sites. Eastern regions have long been scarred by conflict minerals, with armed actors linked to mine control and violence. Despite this wealth underground, over 73% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Map & Major Mines
Major mining areas: Kolwezi, Lubumbashi, Tenke-Fungurume (cobalt, copper), Manono (lithium), Kamituga (gold), Kivu (coltan).