Cobalt supply chain

n Fitch’s view, the main impediments to a smooth supply chain dynamic for cobalt is the lack of transparency in the cobalt market, and limited refining capacity outside China, which will continue to pose challenges for a time to come even if actual global supply is sufficient.Australia holds significant growth potential in the cobalt producing landscape with multiple integrated cobalt projects in the pipeline. Fitch sees limited production growth in Europe and North America in the coming years due to the lack of resources and projects.Cobalt refining is also highly concentrated in a single country, China, which will broadly remain the case, Fitch says, while noting are new cobalt refining projects underway globally which will work to reduce China’s market share to a limited extent.The cobalt supply chain is increasingly mired with ongoing concerns over environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks. In recent years, battery makers have strived to reduce the cobalt content in batteries due to supply issues and ESG concerns, instead using nickel-rich cathode chemistries. In late 2020, Tesla also announced that it would move to a cobalt-free battery, although no time frame was given. QUOTE
COB is ready to play a significant role IMO

https://www.mining.com/cobalt-supply-chain-china-and-drc-to-maintain-dominance-australia-holds-growth-potential-report/