Cobalt gets much attention these days for its key role in batteries and magnets (especially EV’s) as well as hi-tech gadgets in general. The attention is not all of the good sort. Much of the world’s cobalt comes from high-conflict areas in Africa, the proceeds of which are funneled into unending sectarian strife in that part of the world. The problem is largely intractable, unfortunately. Mines are not the sorts of projects that spring up over a weekend when necessary. There is also geology and economics to consider; lesser ores elsewhere may be too costly to operate competitively or are too remote or twenty other ifs, ands and buts.

On the other side of the equation it hasn’t been all that easy to replace cobalt with alternatives. Cobalt-free batteries can be made by using lithium instead but this is a textbook case of taking from Peter to give to Paul. Lithium mining is mired in geopolitical controversies of its own and is, at scale, no cheaper than cobalt.

Little is talked about the element itself. This is a metal largely indistinguishable from the steel it often is a part of. Hard, magnetic and resistant to corrosion, it would be an excellent structural metal on its own if it wasn’t so expensive.

Oh, a little vial of it is pretty cheap however!