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Cobalt is an important component of all lithium-ion rechargeable batteries produced today, the ones that power our smartphones, tablets, laptops and electric cars. Through the testimony of the Congolese people themselves, this book reveals for the first time the huge losses that cobalt mining has caused to the people and the environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The author records testimonies from people who lived, worked and died for cobalt. Determined to uncover the truth behind brutal mining practices, Kara investigates militia-controlled mining areas, traces the supply chain of mined cobalt from toxic mine pits to consumer-facing tech giants, and collects shocking testimonies from those who endured excruciating pain and even died in cobalt mining. In this frank and critical book, Kara argues that we all must care about what is happening in the Congo-because we are all implicated. This book is the 2023 Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year.