Soaring cobalt prices threaten smartphones industry worldwideJanuary 15, 2018 - 12:09 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The production of electric cars, smartphones and high-tech gadgets could be in jeopardy as a result of a rapid rise in prices for cobalt, RT says. Cobalt is a critical metal for Lithium-ion batteries, whose price jumped from $33,200 to $75,000 per ton in a single year. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the main supplier of cobalt - the Democratic Republic of the Congo - is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries of the world, where workers, including children, labor in harsh and dangerous conditions to meet the world's soaring demand for cobalt. According to Statista, the world's cobalt reserves in 2016 amounted to a little over 6 million tons. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular, cobalt reserves amount to 3.4 million tons, 1 million tons in Australia, 500,000 tons in Cuba, 290,000 tons in the Philippines, 270,000 tons in Canada, 270 thousand tons in Zambia, and 250 thousand tons in Russia. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. |