Cobalt: The Conflict Metal Powering Modern Tech
Cobalt sits quietly inside every smartphone, drone, and electric car battery — but its story is anything but quiet. Extracted mostly from conflict-prone regions and refined by a handful of players, cobalt is a metal at the center of modern tech, ethics, and power.
Cobalt (Co) is a silver-gray metal with atomic number 27 and an atomic weight of 58.93. Found in the Earth’s crust, it’s typically extracted as a byproduct of copper or nickel mining. Though not rare, it is highly concentrated in unstable regions, making access and control highly strategic.
What gives cobalt its true value isn’t its appearance, but its performance: it resists heat, enhances battery life, and powers everything from electric vehicles to jet engines. Its chemical stability and high energy density make it essential in lithium-ion batteries, military tech, and space applications — quietly anchoring modern civilization.
What Is Lithium Used For?
Cobalt’s value lies in its stability under heat and stress. Here’s where it shows up today:
Rechargeable Batteries – ~57%
Cobalt is a key stabilizer in lithium-ion batteries, especially for EVs and smartphones. It improves energy density and thermal resistance. Tesla, Apple, and CATL are major end-users.
Superalloys – ~20%
Used in jet engines, gas turbines, and military aircraft due to cobalt’s ability to withstand extreme temperatures without degrading.
Hard Metals & Tools – ~10%
Cobalt strengthens cutting tools, drills, and wear-resistant components used in mining, oil & gas, and heavy industry.
Catalysts – ~6%
Found in chemical processing and oil refining, cobalt helps break down long hydrocarbon chains in fuels and plastics.
Magnets & Electronics – ~4%
Cobalt is used in high-strength magnets, MRI machines, and other electronic components needing strong magnetic fields.
Pigments & Ceramics – ~3%
Cobalt salts give glass and ceramics their deep blue color — one of its oldest uses, though now a small portion of demand.
Cobalt Refining Share by Country (metric tons)
Where Does Cobalt Come From?
Before cobalt stabilizes any battery or engine, it must be mined — often from politically volatile or ethically complex regions. Just a few countries dominate global cobalt production, and one of them — the DRC — holds an overwhelming share of the world’s supply.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – ~70% of global supply
The DRC is the epicenter of cobalt mining, especially around the Copperbelt in Katanga province. While industrial mining dominates, up to 20% of production comes from artisanal miners, often under dangerous conditions.
Companies operating in the DRC:
Glencore (Switzerland) – Operates the Mutanda and Katanga mines
China Molybdenum (CMOC) – Owns the massive Tenke Fungurume mine
Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt (China) – Active in both artisanal supply chains and formal sites
Gécamines (DRC) – The state-owned miner, often in joint ventures
Indonesia – ~5% of global supply
Indonesia’s cobalt comes mostly as a byproduct of its booming nickel industry, particularly in Sulawesi. While still emerging, Indonesia is rising fast in the cobalt space due to integrated nickel-cobalt projects.
Companies operating in Indonesia:
Tsingshan (China) – Core player in the nickel-cobalt industrial parks
PT Vale Indonesia – A key local producer with joint ventures
Russia – ~4% of global supply
Russia’s cobalt is mined as a secondary product from nickel operations, mainly in Norilsk. While not a major exporter, Russia’s cobalt feeds into domestic tech and military industries.
Key producer:
Nornickel – Russia’s dominant cobalt and nickel miner
Australia – ~3% of global supply
Australia holds cobalt reserves primarily in New South Wales and Queensland. Though current production is low, projects are expanding with a focus on ethical sourcing and traceability.
Companies operating in Australia:
Jervois Global – Building up domestic supply chains
Glencore – Has some Australian projects alongside DRC assets
Philippines – ~2–3% of global supply
Like Indonesia, cobalt in the Philippines comes from nickel laterite ore. The sector is export-driven, with shipments mostly going to China for processing.
Main producers:
Various domestic operators with Chinese processing partnerships
Others (~10–12%)
Countries like Cuba, Canada, Madagascar, Zambia, and Morocco all produce cobalt at smaller scales. Most of this output is refined abroad — mainly in China — before entering global supply chains.
Why Lithium Matters
Refining Dominance
While the DRC mines the majority of cobalt, China refines over 80% of the global supply. That means even non-Chinese mined cobalt often passes through Chinese-controlled supply chains before reaching battery manufacturers.
Ethical Tensions
Cobalt mining, particularly in the DRC, is linked to child labor, unsafe conditions, and informal armed group control in artisanal operations. These concerns are pushing companies and governments to seek “clean cobalt” — but alternatives remain limited.
Military Relevance
Cobalt is a critical component in jet engines, missiles, and aerospace alloys, making it not just a green tech issue, but a defense one. The U.S. Department of Defense lists cobalt as a strategic material.
Resource Chokepoint
Any disruption — whether from conflict in the DRC, export restrictions from China, or sanctions on Russia — can send cobalt prices soaring and paralyze battery supply chains.
Supply Chain Scramble
The EU and U.S. are investing in domestic refining capacity and non-DRC sources, but scaling takes time. In the meantime, China’s control gives it outsized leverage in battery and tech manufacturing.
