Cobalt sector formalisation brings 40,000 artisanal miners into monitored sites

DRC formalisation zones with child labour monitoring and fair pricing now supply certified artisanal cobalt to major battery makers.

Formalised artisanal mining zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo have enrolled more than 40,000 miners into monitored sites with protective equipment, age verification and published pricing, supplying certified material into EV battery chains.

NGOs endorse the model cautiously, noting that formalised sites cover a fraction of artisanal production and that buyers must fund expansion rather than simply excluding artisanal material.