Why Western tech companies want more control over minerals in Africa
Modern electronics rely heavily on one thing: lithium ion batteries. With carmakers gearing up to increase electric vehicle production, the demand for lithium ion batteries doesn’t appear to be slowing down. These batteries rely on an increasingly important supply of the metal cobalt. Most cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa under brutal conditions. Marketplace Tech host Molly Wood spoke with the BBC’s Catherine Byaruhanga about Apple’s reported talks to buy cobalt directly from miners and whether it will reduce human rights concerns.
Click the audio player above to hear the full interview.
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