Těžba kobaltu v Demokratické republice Kongo

Abstract

This bachelor thesis describes an analysis of cobalt mining aspects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The theoretical part covers topics such as the properties of cobalt, its primary products, and various types of geological deposits. The thesis provides a detailed characterization of the economic, political, social, and environmental conditions of mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a particular focus on the issues of child labor, security risks, and the dominance of Chinese corporations. Furthermore, the work includes a comparison of mining in selected countries and an in-depth analysis of the market in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This analysis utilizes economic indicators, such as the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), to confirm extreme market concentration. In the final part, three future development scenarios are proposed— optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic evaluating the potential market transformation in the context of the global transition to green energy.