The Minerals Manhattan Podcast
The Manhattan Project helped the US defeat the Nazis. Project Apollo put a person on the moon and hastened the defeat of the Soviet Union. Western supply chains are more vulnerable to China every day. It raises the question: Does the US want to stay a Superpower? Welcome to the Minerals Manhattan Podcast.
The Minerals Manhattan Podcast
Can North America Really Compete in Cobalt? ft. Trent Mell of First Cobalt
Of all the battery metals, the cobalt supply chain has been under the most scrutiny due to illegal and unethical mining practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Trent Mell, the CEO of First Cobalt, joins the Minerals Manhattan Project to dispel some myths about the cobalt supply chain, and discuss the possibility of building up a battery quality cobalt chemical supply chain completely in North America.
Trent and Emily discuss the misconception that any cobalt sourced from the DRC is related to child labor or unethical practices. Trent explains why First Cobalt's strategy has focused on beginning with the advanced processing step and getting qualified into the battery supply chain first, and taking on the mining portion second.
We discuss how ESG and lifecycle analysis are changing what's expected of mining companies, and why Covid19 may accelerate the electrification of transportation and customers demands for understanding the supply chain.
We consider how buzzwords like blockchain simplify the complex process of a more holistic approach to responsible mining.
Trent Mell and First Cobalt are a leader in developing North America's ability to compete in battery metals and the battery supply chain.
Follow Trent Mell on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/TrentMell
Follow First Cobalt on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/FirstCobalt