What Siddharth Kara has said about Cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

7 quotes · 1 episode · Sep 22, 2026

Siddharth Kara, Author and researcher on modern slavery, author of 'Cobalt Red' and 'The Zorg', has been quoted on Cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 7 times in 1 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, most recently on September 22, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

  • Kara reported that water testing near Kolwezi found heavy metals far above World Health Organization safety limits.

    “And there was between 10 and 950 times the World Health Organization maximum recommended limit for human safety of a range of heavy metals”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 6:36

  • Kara argued that Western consumers accept environmental destruction abroad that they would never tolerate at home.

    “That's the story, that we're okay destroying them and their world, so long as ours remains sacrosanct”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 6:12

  • Kara recommended that consumers stop upgrading phones and tablets annually to reduce demand-side pressure.

    “do you have to upgrade the phone and the tablet every year just because the tech company tells you to?”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 12:11

  • Kara said switching away from cobalt to lithium-based chemistries would not help, since a major lithium deposit in Congo has equally horrific conditions.

    “One of the biggest lithium deposits now is in the Congo. And it just started shipping under this Chinese mining company in June of this year”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 17:45

  • Kara said Chinese companies operating in Africa apply no meaningful human rights standards.

    “there's nothing by way of human rights standards when you're talking about Chinese companies operating in Africa”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 28:25

  • Kara said companies cannot simply walk away once recycling replaces mined cobalt, because they have a moral obligation to repair the damage done.

    “You created a catastrophe, a human rights and environmental catastrophe. And there's some moral obligation to repair the damage you've done”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 2:16:44

  • Kara reported that water around villages near Kolwezi tested hyperacidic, in the threes and fours on the pH scale.

    “The rivers and streams and well water around the villages came back in the fours and threes. which is called hyperacidic. It's deadly”

    The Joe Rogan Experience: #2556 - Siddharth Kara (Sep 22, 2026) · Listen from 2:18:16

Episodes

Siddharth Kara on other topics