A CNN investigation uncovered evidence of widespread child labor being used in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which produces about half of the world's cobalt. Cobalt is an essential element used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and other technologies. Reporters witnessed and filmed children as young as 9 years old doing dangerous mining work. They also found mining officials trying to hide the use of child labor and no verification of the origin of cobalt as it enters the international supply chain. No electric car manufacturers can guarantee that their products are completely free of cobalt mined by children, according to the report.

1. Child Labor in Cobalt Trade
Aired May 3, 2018 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM
AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: I`m Carl Azuz for CNN 10. We`re glad you`re
watching today.
This show is centered on an in-depth report that concerns child labor, a large African
country and the element of cobalt. We`re explaining how all those things are tied
together.
First, the issue of child labor. The United Nations defines this as work done by
children that puts them in danger or at a disadvantage. It might include slavery. It
might include employing children who are too young to do a certain kind of work. It
requires them to work instead of going to school or in addition to it. And child labor is
against international law.
Despite that, a recent CNN investigation found that child labor is used in mining
cobalt. This was uncovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC.
The Central African nation is the second largest country on the continent. It`s home
to about half of the cobalt in the world and in recent decades, the DRC has struggled
with instability and conflict that may factor into [explain] why some of the cobalt
that comes from there is mined from children.
Cobalt is a metallic element, atomic number 27 in the period table. It`s used to make
everything from paint and jet engines to steel, from glass and tile [azulejos,
baldosas] to batteries, especially the rechargeable kind. It`s not just electric cars
that utilize significant amounts of cobalt, though carmakers including Daimler, BMW
and Volkswagen are all saying they`re taking steps to insure their electric vehicles
don`t use cobalt that`s mined by children.
Still, a CNN reporter Nima Elbagir found it`s hard to know for sure, at least in the
DRC, what`s mined by children and what isn`t.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

2. NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):
Christian and his friends are digging 20 meters down, taking turns at 24-hour shifts.
There`s no light and little oxygen, but what they bring up is precious.
This is the start of the supply chain leading all the way from this makeshift
[temporary, improvised] mine to your luxury battery powered car.
The sacks are full of cobalt ore [mineral con metal], a crucial component in lithium
ion batteries set to power the coming green energy revolution, but at what cost?
There is growing evidence that cobalt supply chain uses child labor.
Companies say they are working hard to verify the source of all their hand- mined
artisanal cobalt but that it`s a difficult task.
We`re here to follow the supply chain and see if we can do it for them. Before we set
out, even the local governor warns us to expect to see children at work.
We arrive at the Musonoi river mine where the cobalt ore is washed to grind
[pulverize] it down. Although we`ve been given permission to film here, as soon
as they see us, officials begin to scare the children away.
Not all of them though are fast enough. Some work on.
One young boy staggers [walks unsteadily] under his load. His friend sees the
camera and he drops his sack. They`ve clearly been warned [advised, cautioned].
A mining ministry official spots this boy carrying cobalt has been captured by our
cameras. His response is brutal. Later we ask him why he struck the child. He refused
to answer.
(on camera): We`ve now witnessed for ourselves that children are working here, that
they are involved with the production of cobalt and we`ve seen the products of that
child labor loaded on to a variety of different vehicles. I`m going to jump into this
car that`s headed to one of the main public selling cobalt selling depots
[storehouses].
(voice-over): I`m told we`re going to Kobasa market. This is where the cobalt is
bought by brokers. It`s where it first enters the supply chain.

3. The car company Tesla for one says its cobalt sources are audited and issued with
certificates of origin. They wouldn`t say from where or how but there is no sign of
certification here.
We watched the brokers set the price and none of them ask where the cobalt is from
or how it was mined. But the mining output tripled and the fear is even more children
are being pressed into labor.
Why? Because cobalt is skyrocketing in price. Supplying your green electric car comes
at a cost.
We have permission to film here but local mining officials once more try to stop us.
Our producer captures the scene on a hidden camera.
The government says it`s working to combat child labor but the same mining ministry
officials tasked with enforcing an ethical supply chain have been the ones attempting
to block our investigation.
A police officer arrived and we`re told we need to leave for our own safety. We do --
but not before we spot a red truck loaded up and leaving the very same market. It
matches the distinctive red of the truck used by one of the main international cobalt
supply firms, China`s Congo Dongfang Mining, CDM.
We decide to follow it.
(on camera): We can`t afford to lose him because where he delivers that cobalt load,
that is the link between the children that you saw down there on the river front and
the global markets.
(voice-over): As the truck pulls into its final destination guards rush out to block our
cameras. We later received a warning phone call. This facility is under the protection
of the presidential guard. We`re told to stay away.
What`s going on? That appeared to be a CDM truck but this isn`t a CDM facility
[building, unit; instalación]. Tax records show it was declared non-operational three
years ago. Rising smoke and export records show cobalt is still produced here.
CDM`s parent company Huayou tells CNN they did have a relationship with the

4. facility which ended only last year. They`re disturbed enough to launch
an investigation into our findings although they state, other companies also use red
trucks.
CNN visited three sites to show how widespread the use of child labor is. At this
mine, in spite of our permission, we eventually had to resort to [do as a final option;
recurrir] filming undercover to capture the children.
PRODUCER: How old is he?
FATHER: Nine years old.
ELBAGIR: We couldn`t prove where exactly the dirty cobalt enters the international
supply chain but we witnessed that it does.
Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Fiat Chrysler among others say they have a zero tolerance
policy for the use of child labor but they acknowledge they are unable to fully map
their supply chain due to its complex nature. Car makers simply cannot promise
consumers their products are 100 percent child-labor free.
This is the artisanal mining cooperative called Kasulo. It`s run by the main
international supplier CDM. Rows and rows of red trucks like the one we followed
await pickup here. Access and entry are controlled to block the presence of children
and certificates of origin CDM say are dispensed [issued] in controlled
circumstances.
This is what the big brand names who source their cobalt from Congo believe govern
their supply. But this is the exception, not the norm. The cobalt from Kasulo accounts
for less than a quarter of the country`s artisanal cobalt exports.
Here, the ministry of mining has to countersign [refrendar] the certificate of origin
to be considered valid. So the very same entity whose officials CNN found complicit
[involved in a plot] in hiding the presence of child labor at the artisanal mines we
visited is responsible for certifying the cobalt here is child-labor free.
After 10 days in Congo, our contact advised us to leave for our own safety. But what
have we learned? At the main markets, nobody asks where the cobalt for sale is
mined or how. We followed a truck to an operation that is pumping dirty cobalt into
the international supply chain under the aegis [protection] of the Congolese

5. presidential guard.
We witnessed mining ministry officials harassing [repeatedly annoying] children to
hide them from our cameras while others blocked our filming. All employed by the
same Congolese authority car makers entrust to issue the certification.
But from what we`ve witnessed it`s clear no manufacturer can fully assure you that
your electric car is truly ethical. And as demand for essential cobalt soars [goes up
rapidly], it`s children like this little boy who are paying the real price.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, Kolwezi, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
END

6. presidential guard.
We witnessed mining ministry officials harassing [repeatedly annoying] children to
hide them from our cameras while others blocked our filming. All employed by the
same Congolese authority car makers entrust to issue the certification.
But from what we`ve witnessed it`s clear no manufacturer can fully assure you that
your electric car is truly ethical. And as demand for essential cobalt soars [goes up
rapidly], it`s children like this little boy who are paying the real price.
Nima Elbagir, CNN, Kolwezi, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
END