<p>Illegal mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also referred to as artisanal mining. For a number of decades DRC has been the main source of cobalt and tantalum (via <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltan" rel="nofollow noreferrer">coltan</a>).</p>
<p>The DRC supplies about 70 percent of the world's mined cobalt. <a href="https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-worlds-top-cobalt-producing-countries/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">In 2022</a>, this amounted to 145 000 t. The table below gives the production figures for the top 9 producing countries.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6rlzE.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6rlzE.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Sources vary for the amount of artisanal mining done in the DRC. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt#Extraction" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wikipedia</a> states between 17 percent and 40 percent of DRC cobalt production was from artisanal mines. The <a href="https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/making-mining-safe-and-fair-artisanal-cobalt-extraction-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo" rel="nofollow noreferrer">World Economic Forum</a> states between 15 percent and 30 percent.</p>
<p>The news item <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-24/cobalt-mining-in-the-congo-green-energy/100802588" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><em>Blood Cobalt</em></a> from September 2022 illustrates the conditions artisanal mining work under in the DRC.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-24T01:03:55.977Z
2023-07-24T01:03:55.977Z
Fred
<p>In Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), approximately 70% of the world's cobalt is produced. However, I'm curious about the percentage of this 70% that comes from illegal mines. It's challenging to believe that illegal mines can efficiently produce a significant portion of this cobalt. Is the majority of the cobalt production in the DRC sourced from legal and industrial mines rather than illegal ones? Can anyone provide more insights and data on the proportion of cobalt production that comes from illegal mining operations in the DRC?</p>

<minerals><mining>
Cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): What percentage of the 70% production comes from illegal mines?
snoob dogg
# Cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): What percentage of the 70% production comes from illegal mines?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-07-23)

In Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), approximately 70% of the world's cobalt is produced. However, I'm curious about the percentage of this 70% that comes from illegal mines. It's challenging to believe that illegal mines can efficiently produce a significant portion of this cobalt. Is the majority of the cobalt production in the DRC sourced from legal and industrial mines rather than illegal ones? Can anyone provide more insights and data on the proportion of cobalt production that comes from illegal mining operations in the DRC?

**Tags:** minerals, mining


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-07-24. Score: 0 | Accepted answer

Illegal mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is also referred to as artisanal mining. For a number of decades DRC has been the main source of cobalt and tantalum (via [coltan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltan)).

The DRC supplies about 70 percent of the world's mined cobalt. [In 2022](https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-worlds-top-cobalt-producing-countries/), this amounted to 145 000 t. The table below gives the production figures for the top 9 producing countries.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/6rlzE.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/6rlzE.png)

Sources vary for the amount of artisanal mining done in the DRC. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt#Extraction) states between 17 percent and 40 percent of DRC cobalt production was from artisanal mines. The [World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/making-mining-safe-and-fair-artisanal-cobalt-extraction-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo) states between 15 percent and 30 percent.

The news item [*Blood Cobalt*](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-24/cobalt-mining-in-the-congo-green-energy/100802588) from September 2022 illustrates the conditions artisanal mining work under in the DRC.


---

