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I am trying to find the source that lithium is some horrible to mine material... it is not. Most comes from salt flats, like in South America. It is usually not 'mined'. Maybe there is something horrible about it I am not aware and have not found a credible source for...
Cobalt that comes from the Congo is problematic, but companies can make sure (or at least try) to not get their cobalt they need from there... but most new battery chemistries are reducing or removing the need for cobalt, so that should be phasing out... and petroleum refining uses cobalt also.
I also think that all the metals in the lithium ion (iron phosphate, etc) can be recycled and used in new batteries.
Child labor is an issue in many parts of the world, just like it was in the US and Europe in the past. Hopefully with education and improved economies, these countries can transition away from child labor in the near future.
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