Element Case Studies: Cobalt

Cobalt is economically considered as a critical metal. The globally most important Co ore deposits are found within the Katangan Copperbelt (Democratic Republic of Congo), where a great abundance of Cu- and Co-tolerant and accumulator plants have evolved. Cobalt mining activities in this region have disseminated large quantities of wastes into the environment during the last decades and become a major environmental issue. The reduction of environmental risks and Co dispersion can be explored by considering phytoremediation and/or agromining technics that select tolerant and putative hyperaccumulator plants from the regional pool of species. Accumulation of foliar Co to >300 μg g−1 is rare globally and known principally from the Copperbelt. This chapter gives an overview of the current knowledge on Co accumulation by plants, examines the potential for Co bio-ore production using Co-accumulators from the region, and proposes a plant trait-based approach that maximizes ecosystem services provided by Co agromining.