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Safer mines would cost little
The big tech and EV companies buy from Chinese mining firms, and forging partnerships on the ground is not hard. The first steps are basic protective gear at the mine: gloves, hats, uniforms, and masks against toxic exposure. The runoff now dumped into streams and lakes could be collected in a reservoir and contained, as it would be in a company's own backyard.
It would take a little effort and a little money. Measured against these companies' balance sheets, it comes to a small allocation of resources and a handful of staff sent to the bottom of the supply chain. The companies already know what happens down there.
How does a reservoir contain mine runoff?
Wastewater is held in lined ponds where solids settle to the bottom. Lime is mixed in to raise the pH, which makes dissolved metals precipitate as solid hydroxides. The cleaned water can be reused or released under limits, and the sludge is stored in sealed cells. Lime neutralization is a standard treatment for acidic mine water around the world.
What does protective gear do against cobalt dust?
Respirators with particulate filters trap fine dust before it reaches the lungs, and gloves keep cobalt off the skin, where it can sensitize the immune system. Uniforms keep dust from being carried home on clothes. Industrial hygiene bodies set limits on workplace cobalt exposure. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists recommends an airborne limit of 0.02 milligrams per cubic meter.
How do companies trace cobalt back to mines?
Most tracing programs audit smelters and refiners instead of mines, because ore from many sources is blended at the refinery. The OECD published due diligence guidance in 2011 for sourcing minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The Responsible Minerals Initiative runs audits based on that guidance. In the United States, a 2010 law required companies to report on tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from Congo and neighboring countries, and cobalt was not on that list.
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