Role in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Cobalt serves as a structural and electrochemical stabilizer in high-energy cathodes. In NMC and NCA, cobalt maintains the layered oxide crystal structure under repeated cycling, preventing capacity-degrading phase transitions. The battery industry has sustained a "cobalt reduction" trajectory for a decade — high-nickel NMC 811 contains roughly 10% cobalt, down from 33% in NMC 111. LFP and BMLMP chemistries use no cobalt whatsoever.
Irreplaceable for now: Despite reduction efforts, cobalt remains in all premium EV batteries. Fully cobalt-free NMC chemistries remain a future target, not a current reality.
Domestic Supply
The Idaho Cobalt Belt — particularly the Jervois Global Idaho Cobalt Operations near Salmon, Idaho — represents the most advanced cobalt development project on American soil. The Duluth Complex in Minnesota also contains significant cobalt as a byproduct of nickel and copper mining. Battery recycling — recovering cobalt from spent EV packs — will increasingly supplement primary mining, creating a domestic circular supply loop reducing DRC dependency over time.