Our Purpose

The FCA brings together actors across the cobalt supply chain, mobilising investment to strengthen and professionalise the artisanal cobalt mining sector. Working collaboratively, we deliver progressive on-the-ground improvements to working conditions and child rights, and develop income diversification schemes that enable long-term resilience for artisanal mining communities.

A Disconnected Source

The demand for cobalt is increasing as its use in batteries and everyday technology grows. Most of the world’s supply of this highly sought-after mineral is produced in the Congolese province of Lualaba, and a significant proportion of that originates from artisanal mines. For communities in the region, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is one of very few easily accessible sources of employment.

ASM provides a livelihood for thousands in a country where many people have no job at all, yet it is  associated with highly hazardous working conditions, systemic child labour, and unfair trading practices taking advantage of local workers selling to traders on the open market.

As it stands, most artisanal miners lack the means and expertise to adopt safer mining practices. While cobalt is heralded as a key ingredient in our global transition to a green economy, it is questionable whether the benefits it generates are being fairly distributed and reaching the communities who take the greatest risks in excavating it at its source.

Proud members of the FCA

Our Objectives

The FCA drives the development of fair cobalt by supporting the professionalisation of ASM site management, ensuring uptake of responsible mining practices and channelling financial investment into mine improvements. The goal is to make mines safer, minimising environmental impact and creating dignified working conditions for men and women working at the mines.

The occurrence of child labour in mining is a symptom of widespread poverty in the region and is not exclusive to the mining sector. In order to remediate and mitigate child labour in and around ASM sites and throughout local communities, we are working with local cooperatives and civil society to build a scalable child labour referral system to assist mine site operators in establishing effective controls and monitoring mechanisms.

Rather than simply banning children from mine sites, we seek to enable children identified at mines to attend school, benefit from vocational training and access job opportunities for local youth.

We set out to address the root causes that perpetuate high risks associated with artisanal mining: widespread poverty. The need to make a living drives many miners to accept poor working conditions at artisanal mines, often including children that need to contribute to their families’ incomes by working in and around the mine.

In an effort to support the ASM community transition into sustainable livelihoods, we promote investment in programmes outside mining and into opportunities designed to create sustainable livelihoods for as many community members as possible.

Any organisation operating as part of — or associated with — the global cobalt supply chain should consider how it might best contribute to a solution. By taking a holistic approach, incorporating every stage of the supply chain, we can identify root causes and construct effective solutions to address the issues upstream.

“Gore Street Energy Storage Fund is proud to be a member of the Fair Cobalt Alliance. We share their commitment to a fair and
responsible cobalt supply chain that benefits everyone, from miners to consumers. Our partnership with the FCA allows us to
learn from the experts on the ground and make a real difference in the lives of miners and their communities who are essential
part of the global transition to a more sustainable future.”

Anna Wang, Corporate Social Responsibility Advisor at Gore Street Capital

Latest News

We have been blogging our activities and news since our conception in mid-2020. To keep you up to date with our progress, we have arranged our blogs by the date they were posted. We hope you enjoy reading our latest news and insights below.