Almost half of companies mining for key transition minerals in Southern Africa have allegations of human rights abuses. The majority of allegations—85%—are concentrated in just two commodities, copper and cobalt.

We recorded 11 new human rights allegations in Southern Africa since the launch of the Tracker, bringing the total for the region to 73 with the majority coming from DRC and Zambia.

Half of the top companies in Southern Africa producing six key minerals - lithium, copper, cobalt, manganese, nickel and zinc - have been accused of human rights abuses, from violating access to water and land rights to corruption, violence and deaths.

14 of the top 19 companies we examined in South America that are mining for key transition minerals had allegations of human rights abuses, with a total of 90 allegations recorded. These allegations relate to environmental impacts, violations of Indigenous rights, and instances of conflict and violence

En SudAmérica, el 14 de las 19 principales empresas que se dedicand a la mineria de los minerales de la transicion energetica en el region que investigamos tuvieron 90 acusaciones de abusos a los derechos humanos. Las acusaciones y se relacionaron con los impactos ambientales, las violaciones de los derechos indigenas e instancias del conflicto y violencia.

Lithium is a critical component in the production of the lithium-ion batteries needed to produce electric vehicles. In 2018, some of the world’s largest lithium reserves were found in Sonora, Mexico. This discovery brings opportunity but also potential human rights abuses.

El litio es un componente critico para la produccion de las baterías de iones de litio que se usan en los vehiculos electricos. En 2018, algunos de los yacimientos mas grandes por todo el mundo se descubieron en Sonora, Mexico.

In the last decade, companies and governments have increasingly pursued exploration of the deep sea bed, where minerals essential to renewable technologies are found in large quantities. However, the practice comes with significant human rights risks.