Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken recently reaffirmed the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—a nation located in Africa’s heart—as a “geostrategic player and critical partner” for the United States. It is a country that features prominently in climate change discussions, not only because of  its vast natural resources (including mineral wealth estimated to be the largest in the world, as well as possession of a forest cover second only to the Amazon Basin), but especially due to its cobalt reserves.

Cobalt sits at the epicenter of a worldwide economic shift to stop global warming. The U.S. critical minerals list places cobalt as one of four high-impact minerals, and 70 percent of mined cobalt comes from DRC. As a key component of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and other green technologies, cobalt demand and production are projected to increase roughly 500 percent by 2050 as we move toward net-zero carbon emissions. As Gillian Caldwell, Chief Climate Officer of USAID recently observed, even with maximum effort poured into local production and recycling, the U.S. cannot meet this need alone. It must build a reliable supply chain consistent with human rights, sustainable development and a just transition to green energy.

Is ASM an Answer?

DRC’s abundant cobalt stores present an opportunity to bring widespread benefits—both to its people and to a just global climate transition. Yet there is also a path that leads to turmoil and tragedy. According to a recent study commissioned by USAID, tapping cobalt stores could unleash a cascade of negative effects, including increased conflict and poverty, environmental damage, supply chain bottlenecks and threats to national security goals.

To tip the balance  in a positive direction, actors across the entire value chain (including governments, institutions representing the international community, consumers and mining stakeholders) must work together. The goal of such efforts would be to improve the relationship between DRC’s government and its citizens by helping the state address violence, human rights abuses and corruption, strengthen democracy, and make the country’s rich mineral wealth serve its people.

Creating local value and strengthening mining sector transparency, accountability and good governance is essential to this process—and ASM (artisanal and small-scale mining) is a good place to start. As the most rudimentary form of cobalt mining, ASM uses shovels, picks and human strength to manually scrape the mineral from the Earth. Yet this labor provides an income lifeline for the poorest of the poor in DRC.

ASM makes a good starting point because it both creates a significant amount of global cobalt supply and directly touches the lives of far more people than large-scale mining.  Between 15 and 30 percent of DRC’s cobalt is produced via ASM, which translates to 10-12 percent of the world’s cobalt. Depending on the mineral’s price, the number of ASM cobalt miners fluctuates between 60 to 80 thousand and 200 thousand people. Artisanal cobalt mining in DRC is also a process that offers scope for vast improvements in the environment of workers.  Besides often dangerous conditions for miners, issues with ASM run the gamut from birth defect-causing pollution and child labor, to unofficial taxes, labor gangs, corruption, violence and lawlessness.

Yet the supply of workers for ASM continues to be strong, Often no other work is available. And what is on offer is relatively lucrative:  ASM can yield a higher-than-average wage of up to $10 per day in a country where 73 percent of the population earns less than $2 per day.

Assessing the Possibilities

In response to the growing awareness of issues surrounding artisanal mining, some companies have opted to outrightly reject ASM cobalt. However, given its  growing importance to global mineral supplies, as well as its importance as a livelihood for many citizens of DRC  (particularly in  impoverished rural communities), disengagement from challenging supply chains is neither possible nor desirable. A better way forward would be a concerted effort by government and industry to mitigate ASM risks and impacts by building transparent supply chains through strengthened civic engagement, accountability and governance.

Precedents for such an approach do exist. The Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade’s traceable, conflict-free gold supply chain work in DRC is just one example. The International Tin Supply Chain Initiative’s work with 3T minerals (tin, tungsten and tantalum) in Africa’s Great Lakes region, which is based on the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, offers another example.

I have  witnessed the possibilities for improving the ASM process at first hand on a recent trip to the cobalt capital of the world, Kolwezi, DRC, where my organization, Pact, has piloted a similar approach with ASM cobalt miners.

At one mine that I visited, more than 27,000 ASM miners were working the site. There were negative and positive elements of the practice on view. For instance, as some miners left and others arrived to work, I noticed one boy who looked young. When asked, however, he said he was 18. I also saw very little use of protective gear.

Yet improvements were also evident. Old pits were now closed, and currently active ones were well spaced, with clear production lines, and evidence of processes and operations being put in place. Although technical assistance and best-practices guidelines are provided, providing fool-proof oversight would be nearly impossible on such a large site with so many ASM miners. Still, traceability was happening. Things are not perfect and additional due diligence is needed, but the first steps have been taken, with significant improvement in establishing order and improved safety for all who are mining on the site as a result.

Forging a Better Future

Rather than disengaging or turning away from ASM and its challenges, a world that needs a just green transition must engage with local communities and the full spectrum of value-chain stakeholders to address the complex issues of human rights, child labor, security and environment raised by this key mining process. Together, these actors can work to address the root causes of these problems as they build sustainable solutions and maintain livelihoods for the poorest citizens of DRC.

Existing traceability and certification efforts are necessary but insufficient steps in the right direction. To ensure a just and equitable green-energy transition, we need to take a cross-sectoral, consensus-building approach. This effort would not only raise standards, but it also would better integrate ASM with health, environment, governance, livelihoods and economic growth efforts to achieve overall development. Policy barriers must also be removed to create an enabling environment for ASM to function as a formal part of transparent supply chains under full protection of the law.  Consumer pressure is also necessary. The demand side of the equation must also do its part to hold companies accountable for their full supply chains and how the entire workforce is treated.

The scope for action on artisanal and small-scale cobalt mining is large. Yet its importance—both in global supply and in the DRC’s economy—means that action is essential to improve it.

As a global community, we may not necessarily solve all ASM’s issues, but with a concerted effort, we certainly can mitigate them.