UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 23
About three-fourths of world's cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C (the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Explanation: The Democratic Republic of the Congo dominated mined cobalt output around the 2023 exam period, supplying roughly 70% or more of the global total.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-Argentina is better known for lithium resources, not dominance of mined cobalt.
B. Incorrect-Botswana is a major diamond producer, not the world’s largest cobalt source.
C. Correct-DR Congo was the leading global cobalt producer.
D. Incorrect-Kazakhstan did not approach DR Congo’s cobalt-mining share.