In the heart of Finland, nestled into the pine-clad fringes of the Gulf of Bothnia, sits Kokkola, a compact port city of 48,000 souls.
For more than three centuries it was a shipbuilding centre, but these days it has a different claim to fame: it hosts one of the only large cobalt refineries outside China.
Hans van LeeuwenEurope correspondentHans van Leeuwen covers British and European politics, economics and business from London. He has worked as a reporter, editor and policy adviser in Sydney, Canberra, Hanoi and London. Connect with Hans on Twitter. Email Hans at hans.vanleeuwen@afr.com
