Democratic Republic of Congo said it’s backing plans for a new domestically owned copper-cobalt plant to help formalize artisanal mining in the country, at a time when minerals crucial to electric vehicles are moving further into the global spotlight. The project, which will be developed by privately held Congolese firm Buenassa Sarl, is expected to cost about $350 million, and Washington-based financial consulting firm Delphos International Ltd. has agreed to help raise financing, representatives from the two companies and the government said in an interview. Congo supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt and is a ... (full story)