DR Congo Cobalt Export Quotas Prompt Production Changes by Major Miners

DR Congo, which supplies over 70% of global cobalt from mines, introduced export quotas late last year to increase value from its resources and reduce illegal flows. The quotas followed a period of frozen shipments and aim to stabilize the market for the mineral used in batteries.

Prices had fallen to a nine-year low of $22,000 per metric ton in 2025 before more than doubling to $57,000 per metric ton by December.

Glencore, a London-listed company, reported that its cobalt output decreased 39% to 5,800 tons in the first three months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The company stated this was intentional to stay within its 2026 export quota of 22,800 tons.

Glencore has shifted to prioritize copper production, which increased by 19% in the period. The company explained that its assets in DR Congo now focus on copper as existing cobalt inventories meet near-term quota levels. This approach avoids producing cobalt that cannot be exported immediately.

Glencore is based in Switzerland and operates as a major mining firm.

CMOC, a China-based company and the world's largest cobalt supplier, plans to maintain high cobalt output levels despite the quotas. The company announced at a shareholder meeting last week that it would produce up to 120,000 tons from its DR Congo operations in 2026, against an export quota of 31,200 tons.

CMOC cited high ore grades and low costs as reasons to continue production, with plans to stockpile excess material. Eurasia Resources Group, a Luxembourg-based miner with a 40% stake held by the Kazakh government, reduced its cobalt hydroxide output by 70% to 5,700 tons in 2025.

This reduction provides room to increase production in 2026 under its export quota of 12,325 tons. The company's strategy allows for potential doubling of output from the lower 2025 base.

The quotas total 96,600 tons nationally for DR Congo, with allocations to producers like CMOC representing about a quarter of that amount. ARECOMS, the country's mining regulator, administers the system and reserves the right to buy excess stocks for a national reserve.

The quotas aim to reward domestic processing and job creation. Cobalt prices surged after the export freeze in 2025 and the quota introduction in October of that year. Industry trackers noted operational challenges in implementation. The system positions DR Congo to influence global supply similar to a swing producer in other commodity markets.

Peter Major, a mining analyst with Modern Corporate Solutions, stated that the quotas may strengthen black market activities more than formal channels. He noted that unregulated artisanal miners could be less affected than large producers. Zimbabwe granted special export quotas to Chinese firms for lithium last month, two months after banning exports of the metal.