United States International Trade Commission Journal of International Commerce and Economics February 2019 More Than a Pretty Color: The Renaissance of the Cobalt Industry Samantha DeCarlo and Daniel Matthews Abstract Demand for cobalt—a major input in the production of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in electric vehicles (EVs)—is growing due to recent technological advancements and government policies designed to promote the use of EVs. This has led major automakers, battery manufacturers, personal electronic device companies, and their suppliers to attempt to secure stable supplies and develop new sources of cobalt throughout the world. Moreover, the rising demand for cobalt has led to global supply constraints, higher prices, and renewed drive in battery materials research for potential substitutes for mined cobalt. Keywords: Cobalt, lithium-ion batteries, supply, chemical, metal, superalloy, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC Suggested citation: DeCarlo, Samantha, and Daniel Matthews. “More Than a Pretty Color- The Renaissance of the Cobalt Industry.” Journal of International Commerce and Economics. February 2019. http://www.usitc.gov/journals. This article is the result of the ongoing professional research of USITC staff and is solely meant to represent the opinions and professional research of its authors. It is not meant to represent in any way the view of the U.S. International Trade Commission, any of its individual Commissioners, or the United States Government. Please direct all correspondence to Samantha DeCarlo and Daniel Matthews, Office of Industries, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436, or by email to
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