Cobalt Red

Outline

Cobalt Red (2023) reveals the human cost behind the cobalt used in the batteries of phones, laptops, and electric cars. Siddharth Kara travelled to mining regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and documented the dangerous conditions faced by workers, including children, who dig cobalt by hand. The book calls on companies and consumers to take responsibility for the supply chains that power modern technology.

• Cobalt used in the batteries of phones, laptops, and electric cars comes at a serious human cost.
• Siddharth Kara travelled to mining regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to document conditions firsthand.
• Workers, including children, dig cobalt by hand in dangerous conditions.
• The book argues that companies and consumers share responsibility for the supply chains behind modern technology.

Siddharth Kara is an American author, researcher, and expert on modern slavery and human trafficking. He has taught at Harvard University and the University of Nottingham and has spent years investigating forced labour around the world. His books include Bonded Labour, Modern Slavery, and Cobalt Red.