DRC? Unstable? Risk? Who would have thought that?
http://www.vifindia.org/article/2018/april/03/the-future-of-batteries-belongs-to-china
In November 2017, in one of the industry conferences (China International Nickel and Cobalt Industry Forum) Chinese delegates did agree that they have to reduce their dependence on DRC for Cobalt supplies. China has one percent of world’s Cobalt reserves which is not enough for its growing needs. The Chairman of Guangdong Jiana Energy Technology Company, a major supplier of Cobalt salts and other components for Lithium batteries, mentioned in the sidelines of the conference that China is “over-reliant” on DRC. Notably, Jiana is one of the Chinese mining companies that have invested in DRC’s reserves. This conference has led to Chinese firms finding new ways to reduce its dependence on the unstable African country; given the current political climate in DRC, relying on supplies from there carries risk. China is in need of around 54,000 tons in 2018, 17.4 percent more than 2017.9
