Cobalto
What is cobalt used for?
Cobalt is commonly used in electroplating because of its appearance, hardness, and resistance to oxidation. Cobalt compounds have been used for centuries to create a rich blue color in glass, glazes, ceramics, porcelain, pottery, tiles, and enamels.
Where is cobalt found in nature?
Natural abundance
Cobalt is found in the minerals cobaltite, skutterudite and erythrite. Important ore deposits are found in DR Congo, Canada, Australia, Zambia and Brazil. Most cobalt is formed as a by-product of nickel refining.
Is raw cobalt radioactive?
Cobalt occurs naturally as only one stable isotope, cobalt-59. Cobalt-60 is a commercially important radioisotope, used as a radioactive tracer and for the production of high-energy gamma rays.
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| Cobalt | |
|---|---|
| Discovery and first isolation | Georg Brandt (1735) |
| Main isotopes of cobalt | |
When was cobalt first used?
1735) by Swedish chemist Georg Brandt, though cobalt compounds had been used for centuries to impart a blue colour to glazes and ceramics.
Why is cobalt so valuable?
Cobalt is an essential mineral used for batteries in electric cars, computers, and cell phones. Demand for cobalt is increasing as more electric cars are sold, particularly in Europe, where governments are encouraging the sales with generous environmental bonuses.
Is cobalt toxic to humans?
It can harm the eyes, skin, heart, and lungs. Exposure to cobalt may cause cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to cobalt and cobalt-containing products.
Is cobalt a precious metal?
Cobalt is just one of a new class of precious metals that are coming to the fore: the so-called battery metals that allow us to store “clean” energy and wean ourselves off the internal combustion engine.
How much is cobalt worth?
In 2021, the average spot price of cobalt in the U.S. stood at 23 U.S. dollars per pound.
Is cobalt rare or common?
rare
Cobalt is a rare element with a frequency in the Earth’s crust of 0,004 percent. This puts it in the thirtieth place in the list of frequency ordered items.
Where are the largest cobalt deposits?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the largest cobalt reserves in the world, at some 3.5 million metric tons as of 2021. As the total global cobalt reserves amount to 7.6 million metric tons, this means that the DR Congo’s cobalt reserves account for nearly half of the world’s reserves of the metal.
What rocks is cobalt found in?
Cobalt is common in the Earth’s crust, bound with other elements to form a variety of minerals. This element is found in highest concentrations when incorporated into minerals (pentlandite and linnaeite) as magma or lava cools to form igneous rocks such as dunite, serpentinite, and basalt.
Where does most cobalt come from?
Congo (Kinshasa)
Events, Trends, and Issues: Congo (Kinshasa) continued to be the world’s leading source of mined cobalt, supplying approximately 70% of world cobalt mine production. With the exception of production in Morocco and artisanally mined cobalt in Congo (Kinshasa), most cobalt is mined as a byproduct of copper or nickel.
Is cobalt rare or common?
rare
Cobalt is a rare element with a frequency in the Earth’s crust of 0,004 percent. This puts it in the thirtieth place in the list of frequency ordered items.
How much is cobalt worth?
In 2021, the average spot price of cobalt in the U.S. stood at 23 U.S. dollars per pound.
What does cobalt look like in the ground?
Cobalt (Co) is a bluish-gray, shiny, brittle metallic element. It has magnetic properties similar to iron. There are no significant minerals of cobalt. It is rare and obtained mostly through refining of nickel ore.
Is cobalt a precious metal?
Cobalt is just one of a new class of precious metals that are coming to the fore: the so-called battery metals that allow us to store “clean” energy and wean ourselves off the internal combustion engine.
How much cobalt is in a Tesla battery?
Tesla helped pave the way for stricter supply chain labor and less reliance on cobalt for EV battery production. The company’s batteries contain** less than 5% of cobalt,** and they’re currently developing their own batteries that will be cobalt-free.
Who is the largest producer of cobalt?
the Democratic Republic of Congo
The mining industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the most lucrative and essential part of the DRC economy. It is their largest source of export income. The DRC accounted for more than two thirds of global cobalt production in 2021, making it the world’s largest cobalt producer by a large margin.
Will cobalt prices rise?
Since launching, prices in both contracts have trended higher. Cobalt is now trading at $34/kg, more than twice the level it was at launch. Lithium prices have increased even faster, from $13/kg in May 2021 to above $40 in February 2022.
Will cobalt run out?
More than 70% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and any nation that produces electronics wants in on that source. But based on operational mines and projected demand, forecasters predict that supply won’t be able to keep up with demand by 2030, or even as early as 2025.
What will replace cobalt in batteries?
Iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which don’t use nickel or cobalt, are traditionally cheaper and safer, but they offer less energy density, which means less efficient and shorter range for electric vehicles.
Will we run out of lithium?
The IEA says the world could face lithium shortages by 2025. And Credit Suisse says lithium demand could treble between 2020 and 2025, meaning “supply would be stretched”. Campaign group Transport and Environment says there is only enough lithium to produce up to 14 million EVs in 2023, Reuters reports.