Cobalt Mining Is Still a Dangerous Job in Congo

The south of the Democratic Republic of Congo sits on top of about four million tons of cobalt, a silvery-blue mineral used in nearly every lithium rechargeable battery on the planet. That's nearly half of the world’s known supply. And yet the Congo remains among the five poorest countries on the planet. A brutal combination of post-colonial dynamics, corruption and excessive greed have left those desperately digging with their bare hands with the losing card in the billion-dollar industry. In April 2024, VICE traveled to the Congo to investigate how cobalt mining became such a profitable venture for major companies and yet an often life-threatening trade for the miners themselves. This segment is from the show 'VICE' which aired in June 2023. Help keep VICE News’ fearless reporting free for millions by making a one-time or ongoing contribution here. - https://vice.com/contribute Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Follow VICE News here: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vicenews?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo #VICENews #News