By KINSHASA, Sept 22 (AfrikTimes) – The Democratic Republic of Congo will lift its ban on cobalt exports from Oct. 16 and impose annual export quotas to manage global supply, the country’s strategic minerals regulator said on Sunday.
Miners will be permitted to ship up to 18,125 tonnes of cobalt for the remainder of 2025, with annual caps of 96,600 tonnes set for 2026 and 2027, according to the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances’ Markets.
Congo, which accounts for about 70% of global cobalt output, halted exports in February after prices sank to a nine-year low. The suspension, extended in June, forced major producers including Glencore (GLEN.L) and China’s CMOC Group (603993.SS) to declare force majeure.
A large share of Congo’s cobalt comes from artisanal miners, complicating traceability and compliance for international buyers.
An artisanal miner carries raw ore at Tilwizembe, a former industrial copper-cobalt mine, outside of Kolwezi, the capital city of Lualaba Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, June 11, 2016.
The quota system, introduced against the backdrop of escalating conflict in eastern Congo, aims to curb inventories and stabilize prices. The government says illegal mineral exploitation is helping fund M23 rebels. Quotas will be distributed based on companies’ historical exports.
Glencore has backed the new system, while CMOC has opposed it. Glencore declined to comment on Sunday. CMOC could not immediately be reached.
The regulator said 10% of future volumes will be reserved for strategic national projects. Quotas may be revised depending on market conditions or progress in local refining. It added that it could buy back cobalt stocks exceeding the quarterly allocations set for each company.
Artisanal miners work at the Tilwezembe, a former industrial copper-cobalt mine, outside of Kolwezi, the capital city of Lualaba Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, June 11, 2016.
