As people go about their days connected to phones and computers, miners in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) risk their lives extracting minerals that power those devices. Climate activists advocate for renewable energy, but the human cost of the transition remains hidden behind a mining industry worth trillions of dollars.
In 2016, DRC's cobalt sales alone were worth an estimated $2.6 billion, though only about 3% of this went back to the country's economy. Despite its rich mineral resources, DRC's economy benefits very little from mining, and workers face deplorable conditions that have negative impacts on their health.
Cobalt and lithium are used to create rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones that store electricity produced from renewable energy sources such as solar power, making them essential to reducing the use of fossil fuels. The Cobalt Institute estimates that in 2030 the cobalt market will double in growth, and 95% of this rise is attributed to battery appliances.
The second largest country in Africa, with a population of 99 million inhabitants, DRC is widely recognized for its abundance of natural resources, estimated to be worth $24 trillion. Nearly 80% of the world's coltan reserves are found in the country, which also has one of the world's largest untapped reserves of lithium. As the world continues to push for renewable energy, activists should also advocate for a just transition to safeguard the health of miners and their families in DRC.
Workers' Conditions and Mining
In an interview with The Conversation, Ghislain, a miner in DRC, said, "Collapses are very frequent. We miners die a lot." On average, employees work more than 12 hours a day in dangerous work environments. Miners complain about long working hours and unsafe conditions as they go deep into tunnels without protective equipment.
Activists should also advocate for a just transition to safeguard the health of miners and their families in DRC
An estimated 500,000 to 2 million people in DRC rely on mining activities for employment. An estimated 40,000 child miners work in the country, reports indicating that some are as young as 7 years old. Adult miners are paid between $2.15 and $8.60 per day, but child miners make at most $2.50. A gender gap in pay leaves women making less than men. Miners receive unfair wages when they sell minerals, affecting their ability to purchase their basic necessities.
The expansion of cobalt and copper mines throughout DRC has led to the destruction of communities and the forced displacement of local residents. Numerous mines are located in areas of armed conflict, putting children and women, in particular, at risk of sexual assault. Moreover, constant exposure to radioactive elements is toxic to workers' health and can lead to the development of respiratory diseases.
Public Health Impacts of Mining
"When you visit this area of the DRC, one of the most striking things you see is just how polluted it is," said Mark Dummett of Amnesty International in a statement. Cobalt mining has significant negative impacts on environmental health and people's well-being.
Near mines, toxic dumping occurs that contaminates water and the environment. High concentrations of cobalt have been found in the soil, which harms nutrients that crops need for soil fertility. High toxicity in the soil can also result in human morbidity and mortality because it affects the supply of clean water and nutritious food.
Growing evidence reveals that mining also harms neonatal health given that metals can cross the placental barrier. A literature review in 2022 highlights the impact of environmental metal exposure on fetal health, which supports a literature review in 2013, which hypothesized that high metal exposure may cross the placenta, which contributes to birth defects. Particularly, a study in Lubumbashi, DRC's second-largest city, reveals that fathers who have mining jobs were associated with newborns with higher levels of birth defects. The study suggests that the effects could have occurred during preconception, given that mothers did not have higher levels of metal in urine or blood.
Further environmental conditions affecting health include dust and pollution in the air that have led to many miners to have respiratory illness symptoms. Many miners work without protective gear and experience dangerous exposure to dust, chemicals, and potential mine tunnel collapses. The creation of mines leads to poor water and sanitation infrastructure in neighboring areas because it pollutes water, and little is done in these areas to ensure human waste management. Poor sanitary conditions can lead to the spread of diseases such as waterborne and vector-borne diseases, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Poor water and sanitation facilitate the transmission of diseases, which weakens immune systems, increasing susceptibility to other diseases such as STIs.
Mining sites have limited availability of prescription drugs, which has a negative impact on the health of workers. Health facilities are located far from mining sites, and miners do not always have the money to pay for transportation, making them inaccessible. Miners are not able to access needed medications for the waterborne and vector-borne diseases prevalent in mining communities.
Miners are not able to access needed medications for the waterborne and vector-borne diseases prevalent in mining communities
People living in artisanal mining areas—where individual or groups of workers informally use basic tools to gather minerals—also have higher levels of cobalt in their urine and blood. Children exposed to mining have higher levels of DNA damage, which can lead to cancer or loss of brain neurons.
Ongoing forced evictions ensure that large-scale mining operations can continue. Housing conditions affect the spread of disease and the chances of injury. The evicted are provided inadequate compensation, and complain that they do not have water and electricity where they relocate. This does not create an environment for individuals to ensure their highest attainable health.
Improving the Health of Miners
To protect the health of miners, mining companies should improve their workers' conditions. This includes paying them adequately and ensuring that they have the protective equipment needed to shield them from the negative health effects of mining. Protecting miners will help minimize the harms this employment has on their families.
Additionally, the International Labor Organization has a Code of Practice on safety and health in opencast mines adopted in 2017, specific provisions of which protect miners' health and ensure their safety. The United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development also have principles providing guidelines on business and human rights. These codes and principles should be enforced in mining areas.
More research is also needed to fully understand the impacts of mining on the health of miners and their families in DRC. For example, the study in Lubumbashi associating fathers' mining jobs with fetal deformations is the first study on the impacts of mining-related pollution on newborns in Africa. More evidence can further understanding of how the metals are transferred to fetuses to determine mechanisms that minimize this transfer.
The views expressed do not represent the views of the authors' affiliations, past or current.
