24/7 Space News
TECH SPACE
DR Congo copper, cobalt miners trapped in exploitative conditions: NGOs
Reuters Events SMR and Advanced Reactor 2025
DR Congo copper, cobalt miners trapped in exploitative conditions: NGOs
by AFP Staff Writers
Lubumbashi, Dr Congo (AFP) June 11, 2024

Tens of thousands of workers in the DR Congo mining cobalt and copper -- metals essential to the green energy transition -- are trapped in exploitative low-wage conditions, two NGOs warned Tuesday.

Big mining companies are keeping workers in poverty through an employment model that results in "serious labour rights violations", a report by UK-based corporate watchdog, RAID, and a Democratic Republic of Congo human rights group, CAJJ, said.

More than half of workers employed by mining companies are subcontractors, whose average monthly salary was $330 in 2021-2022, the report said. Some earned as little as $90 a month.

The NGOs estimated the living wage for miners in the Central African country had risen to $501 a month, up from $402 in 2021-2022.

"The sad reality is that workers are getting poorer, and their living conditions are deteriorating, while their multinational employers seem to be reaping huge profits," Josue Kashal, of the Centre d'Aide Juridique-Judiciaire (Legal Judicial Assistance Centre), CAJJ, said.

Unlike direct employees, the NGOs said subcontractors are "subjected to excessive working hours, degrading treatment, violence, discrimination, racism, unsafe working conditions, and a disregard for basic health provision."

"The mining industry's claims of supplying 'sustainable' green minerals to the world's markets are simply not matched by the dire reality facing thousands of exploited Congolese workers," Anneke Van Woudenberg, RAID's executive director, said.

Cobalt is a crucial component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles, while copper is needed to build charging infrastructure.

More than 70 percent of the world's cobalt is mined at Kolwezi in DRC and the country is the world's third-largest copper producer, the statement added, released on the eve of DRC Mining Week in the southeastern mining city of Lubumbashi.

bur-at/sbk/kjm

COBALT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY

Related Links
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TECH SPACE
Purdue Researchers Transform 2D Metal Halide Perovskites into 1D Nanowires
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 07, 2024
Purdue University engineers have developed a patent-pending method to synthesize high-quality, layered perovskite nanowires with large aspect ratios and tunable organic-inorganic chemical compositions. Letian Dou, the Charles Davidson Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and associate professor of chemistry, by courtesy, leads an international team that includes postdoctoral research assistant Wenhao Shao and graduate research assistant Jeong Hui Kim of the Dav ... read more

TECH SPACE
Ohio State students to test space food solutions for NASA

US and Germany double down on space exploration

Virgin Galactic completes final spaceflight before two-year pause

'Nicely done!' Boeing Starliner astronauts welcomed to ISS at last

TECH SPACE
Boeing Starliner spacecraft springs more leaks on way to ISS

Rocket Lab plans 50th Electron mission to deploy five satellites for Kineis

Galactic Energy Launches Third Rocket in 10 Days

Stealth gas contracts awarded amid high profile crewed Starliner mission

TECH SPACE
New analysis suggests lack of subglacial lake on Mars

NASA explores new Mars Sample Return concepts

Martian Polar Ice Flow Mystery Finally Explained

Mars' subsurface ice could be a key to sustaining future habitats on other planets

TECH SPACE
China Open to Space Collaboration with the US

Shenzhou 18 crew conducts first spacewalk

Zebrafish on China's space station reported to be in good condition

China sends experimental satellite into orbit with Long March 4C rocket

TECH SPACE
Fired SpaceX workers sue Elon Musk over workplace abuses

Nara Space Secures $14.5M Series B to Expand Satellite Fleet

China launches multi-functional communication satellite for Pakistan

CGI works on new interfaces for European Space Agency to expand satellite communications market

TECH SPACE
Heat-Resistant Metal Alloys Under Study

Magnesium oxide transition insights for super-Earth exoplanets revealed

Purdue Researchers Transform 2D Metal Halide Perovskites into 1D Nanowires

DR Congo copper, cobalt miners trapped in exploitative conditions: NGOs

TECH SPACE
Planet-forming Disks Around Low-mass Stars Show Unique Characteristics

NASA's Webb Telescope Observes Potentially Habitable Exoplanets

Newly Discovered Planet Retains Atmosphere Despite Star's Intense Radiation

Why do astronomers look for signs of life on other planets based on what life is like on Earth?

TECH SPACE
Understanding Cyclones on Jupiter Through Oceanography

Unusual Ion May Influence Uranus and Neptune's Magnetic Fields

NASA's Europa Clipper Arrives in Florida for Launch Preparation

New Earth-Based Telescope Images of Jupiter's Moon Io Match Spacecraft Quality

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.