ESG Risks Associated With the Production of Critical Raw Materials 🌱

What we’re showing

The key ESG risks of producing various critical raw materials (CRMs), according to a Dec 2023 report produced for the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy.

Key takeaway

Production of most CRMs is causing harm to ecosystems and depleting water resources.

Context

• The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the world's largest cobalt producer, accounting for 73% of global output in 2022.
• Child labor has long been a concern in the DRC, given the country’s high rates of poverty.
• In 2019, U.S. tech companies including Apple, Google, and Microsoft were named as defendants in a lawsuit over the death/injury of 14 Congolese children who were mining cobalt.