Glencore Launches First Cobalt Exports Under DRC’s New Quota Regime

Congo Resumes Cobalt Exports With Glencore’s First Shipment, Easing Global Supply Pressures

Glencore has become the first mining company to export cobalt under the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) newly introduced quota system, sending an initial pilot shipment to test compliance procedures, according to government and industry sources.

Authorities cleared the shipment this week, pending payment of a 10 percent royalty. The approval marks the first resumption of exports after a months-long suspension that tightened global supply and contributed to sharply higher cobalt prices.

The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world’s mined cobalt, with analysts estimating global output at approximately 280,000 metric tons this year.

Launched on October 16, the quota system allocates 18,125 metric tons for the fourth quarter of 2025 and will cap annual exports at 96,600 tons beginning in 2026. While traders initially anticipated that exports would resume by January, they now expect that full-sized shipments will only begin by April as exporters navigate procedural and financial requirements.

Major Producers Receive the Largest Allocations

China’s CMOC and Glencore, the world’s two largest cobalt producers, received the highest export quotas. CMOC was assigned 6,650 tons for the fourth quarter, while Glencore received 3,925 tons. The DRC’s regulator, ARECOMS, will retain 10 percent of total volumes for a strategic national reserve.

CMOC’s Tenke Fungurume Mining has also begun preparing for exports. Glencore declined to comment, and other stakeholders did not respond to requests for clarification.

A government official confirmed that Glencore’s initial shipment was authorised as a pilot. Authorities are currently assessing product quality before finalising the exportable quantity and calculating the royalty. Once the first export is completed, subsequent shipments are expected to move through the system more efficiently.

Exporters Face Procedural Challenges

Despite government warnings of penalties for non-compliance, exports have been slow to restart as companies struggle with unclear requirements. Industry groups have called for urgent consultations to address ambiguities in the legal and procedural framework.

They argue that new rules—such as the requirement to prepay a 10 percent royalty within 48 hours and obtain a compliance certificate before cargo movement—risk delaying exports and straining global battery supply chains.

Under the new system, exporters must notify authorities, prepare batches for sampling, and await laboratory certification of quality and volume before royalties can be calculated and paid. Shipments cannot move without proof of payment.

Cobalt prices are currently trading around $24 per pound, or $52,900 per metric ton, significantly higher than the nine-year lows reached in February when the export suspension was first announced.

The successful pilot export by Glencore is expected to pave the way for smoother operations as the quota system becomes fully operational.