Special report : Inside the Congo cobalt mines that exploit children

This is one of the thousands of unregulated, unmonitored mines in the DRC. It's crawling with children working like modern-day slaves. A 12-hour long day of punishing work may earn them the equivalent of a pound. Although one of the poorest countries on Earth, DRC is rich in minerals. But a history of brutal colonial exploitation looks like

being repeated now in 2017. Much of its mined by hand with rudimentary tools in harsh, potentially hazardous conditions. And wretched weather or not, the rush is on for a mineral the DRC has in great abundance. Cobalt. And it's fast becoming more precious than gold. It's a critical ingredient in lithium ion batteries which power smartphones and

laptops. [Applause] An army of children are at the heart of the mining production. Wearing no shoes and in the most wretched conditions, Dorsan is ordered to retrieve the sack he's forgotten. There's an urgency now. The rains make this dangerous work even more risky. And Dorsan's told in no uncertain terms he risks a beating if he messes up again.

Dorsan with Richard beside him have worked all day. They're eight and 11 years old. Even this punishing work doesn't guarantee enough for food. Dorsan hasn't eaten for 2 days now. This is what helpless looks like. And he's one of the children making millions for multinational corporations in America and China whilst they suffer in

squalor. For this they'll get maybe eight British pence a day. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] The tunnels are dug by hand with no supports. They frequently collapse, especially during rain. The miners climb down using holes carved in the rock and no safety equipment. This most precious of minerals is often extracted and sorted by tiny hands. They