DRC Cobalt Exports Delayed as Miners Await Regulatory Approval Amid New Quotas
Congo Cobalt Exports Still on Hold Weeks After Ban; Quotas to Limit DRC Supply
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has yet to authorize the resumption of cobalt exports, nearly six weeks after the previous ban on shipments expired.
Mining companies are waiting to move trucks loaded with cobalt, one of the world’s most critical metals, toward international markets.
The DRC, which accounts for roughly 75% of global cobalt production, introduced strict export quotas on October 16 to control supply once shipments restart.
However, the implementation of the new system has been delayed as government agencies work to integrate the regulator into the export process and ensure the procedures are practical.
“The implementation of this measure is subject to a delay. Government agencies must first ensure integration of ARECOMS into the export process and verify the practicality of the new procedures,” said the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets (ARECOMS).
Cobalt exports were initially suspended in February to curb oversupply and support global prices. Demand for cobalt has soared due to its critical role in electric vehicle batteries, aerospace, and defense industries, while major miners such as China’s CMOC Group and new supplies from Indonesia have increased production.
Under the new quota system, miners will be allowed to ship just over 18,000 tons of cobalt for the remainder of 2025, and up to 96,600 tons annually in 2026 and 2027—less than half of the country’s projected 2024 output.
Cobalt prices, which had dropped below $10 per pound for the first time in over two decades, have more than doubled since the February suspension, while cobalt hydroxide exports from the DRC have surged over fourfold.
ARECOMS said it expects to complete the remaining steps for the restart of cobalt exports soon. “Once these adjustments have been finalized, an announcement will be made in the coming days,” the regulator stated.
In the meantime, miners have been stockpiling cobalt while continuing to export copper, as both metals are often mined together.
The largest quotas have been assigned to CMOC, followed by Glencore Plc, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), and state-owned Entreprise Generale du Cobalt, which controls hand-dug cobalt.
ERG confirmed it is awaiting final regulatory clarification before restarting shipments.
Additionally, 10% of the total cobalt quota is reserved as a “strategic quota” for ARECOMS to allocate at its discretion.
The delays in Congo cobalt exports highlight the DRC’s effort to balance global supply, stabilize prices, and maintain regulatory control over one of the world’s most important sources of cobalt, a critical metal for the green energy transition.
