Why not ban imports from Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining?

Curtailing mining activities in the DRC would severely harm the local population. Mineral extraction accounts for 90% of the country’s exports and constitutes a core element of the Congolese economy. An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people work in ASM and any others depend on their income. Cobalt extraction through ASM presents an important development opportunity for the DRC, on the condition that responsible practices can be established.

Our Responsibility.

The Cobalt Institute is engaged with several ongoing initiatives with the principal aim of putting artisanal mining in the DRC  and some parts of Kayunga on a legitimate and transparent footing, as well as seeking to address the root causes of poverty.

The Cobalt Industry Responsible Assessment Framework (CIRAF) is a management tool designed for all companies, whether or not they are producing and/or sourcing from high-risk countries. CIRAF consolidates due diligence actions being taken by companies across the cobalt industry to demonstrate best practice and meet the expectations of civil society, the media and the cobalt market. As such, CIRAF provides a unified yet flexible approach towards responsible and sustainable cobalt production and sourcing.