Top electric carmaker switches to zero-cobalt, nickel batteries for price sensitive Chinese market.

Its Santo Domingo project could yield 4,700 tonnes of cobalt per year, making Capstone also the largest producer of the metal in the Americas.

The news comes as the Swiss miner and commodities trader reported its first annual net loss since 2015.

"These stocks have been hanging over the market and held down prices," a cobalt trader said.

Last updated in 2003, the fresh set of principles respond to increased pressure for miners to carry out socially-responsible investments and operations.

Many countries are starting to look inward to meet their own needs as well as broaden their economic portfolio.