America's only cobalt mine opened last year to great fanfare, since the mineral is crucial for green energy. But it surprisingly closed months later.

Kenya’s mining sector has been on the decline over the last two years, ... P.O Box 30080-00100,Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone number: 0203222111, 0719012111; Email: [email protected] ...

The U.S. push to mine international waters for metals defies global efforts to control and protect these fragile ecosystems.

The first cobalt mine in America in decades opens Friday in Idaho. The metal used in electric vehicle batteries is in big demand yet analysts say the environmental costs are also high.

The cobalt from the Idaho mine will be shipped to a refinery Jervois is refurbishing in São Paulo, Brazil, to be processed. The company projects an initial seven-year run.

Cobalt is a metal that produces a blue pigment. It's essential for making many of the batteries powering phones, computers, and electric vehicles, but mining it is linked to human rights abuses.

With that kind of government support and industry demand, investing in the country's only cobalt mine seemed like a dream business venture for Jervois. "It was a huge opportunity," says CEO Crocker.

America's only cobalt mine opened last year to great fanfare, since the mineral is crucial for green energy. But it surprisingly closed months later.