Study warns the global cobalt supply chain could fail without warning
Cobalt powers the lithium-ion batteries in phones, laptops, and electric cars. A new analysis of global cobalt flows from 1998 to 2019 finds a hidden web of possible failures about four times denser than trade alone, with the weakest points at refining and manufacturing. Research
Cobalt is a cornerstone material for the lithium-ion batteries that power phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. A new study in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, and the University of Southern Denmark, mapped global cobalt flows from 1998 to 2019 across 230 countries and six life-cycle stages. Using a multilayer network and a shock-propagation model, the team found that disruptions can cascade across borders and stages, with the most severe impacts building at refining and manufacturing bottlenecks. The avalanche network of potential failures is roughly four times denser than the physical trade network, and China and the United States stand out as points of high systemic fragility. The authors describe a robust yet fragile system and warn that national stockpiling or reshoring may simply shift the risk elsewhere. Sources: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (DOI 10.1016/j.ese.2025.100654), EurekAlert, SciTechDaily.