Environmental Leader interviewed automotive designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker on November 7, 2018. Now Fisker is an avowed critic of child labor on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cobalt mines. In fact, he calls their output “cobalt diamonds”, in a stark reminder of the the blood diamonds in the James Bond 2002 movie ‘Die Another Day’. Therefore, Environmental Leader wanted to know what Henrik Fisker was doing about the scourge down at his mine.
Has Fisker Formed a DRC Company to Eliminate Cobalt Diamonds?
Well, not exactly. Because the Democratic Republic of Congo is an autocratic state, and dictators will do as dictators do. However, Fisker wants to lower the flow of cobalt diamonds to the United States by developing a local alternative.
Fisker’s local alternative involves exploiting known cobalt reserves in Idaho and other places in the States, and selling them into the U.S. electric vehicle market. He is sure to find many takers for his “ethically sourced and sustainable cobalt”. Environmental Leader caught up with him recently and wanted to know more about his plans. These involve increasing density while lowering prices. And of course chasing his dream of ethical cobalt.
Fisker’s Is Taking the DRC’s Cobalt Diamonds Head On
Henrik Fisker openly admitted his dependency to Environmental Leader. “Cobalt is an important part of pretty much all batteries,” he told the opinion leader. “Scientists have tried to reduce the amount of cobalt diamonds, but we’ll still have some in lithium-ion batteries for quite a while.”
However, we understand he has not leaped into the cobalt supply market yet. His company First Cobalt owns a “very large mineral deposit in Idaho,” he claims, “and they have a refinery in Canada” he told Environmental Leader. Fisker is a canny businessperson waiting for the right moment.
“There have been issues before with sweatshops and child labor in other industries,” he explains. “Eventually it surfaces and has to be dealt with. This will be the same in the electric car industry.” We can’t wait for his ethical standards to materialize.
Related
Blood Batteries – The Congo and The Cobalt
Cobalt Demand Increases – Should We Worry
Preview Image: First Cobalt Refinery Buildings
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