The cobalt Apple uses at the moment comes from Congo and it does get a lost of criticism because the labour used in such mines suffer from appalling conditions and use child labour.  Apple says it is working to end child labour in cobalt mines, and it has partnered with a number of NGOs to focus on the DRC particularly. "There's absolutely no excuse for anyone under legal working age to be in our supply chain", the company said in its most recent Supplier Responsibility Progress Report. It's not just Apple's problem, of course. Any phone company that needs lithium ion batteries is ultimately sourcing much of its cobalt from the DRC. Because Apple makes the single most popular phone model on the planet, it gets the brunt of the criticism.

Now it seems that Apple is concerned that the prices of cobalt are getting out of hand and it is seeking contracts to buy several thousand metric tons of cobalt for five years or longer.

Cobalt prices have skyrocketed of late due to an expected growth in demand for electric vehicles powered by lithium ion batteries.

The story fails to mention if Apple is negotiating with the same villians who are using child labour in the Congo.  Cobalt is also mined in China, Russia, Canada and Australia, but we guess that would be more pricey.

Apple may end up deciding not to go ahead with a deal, the report said, citing another source.