Name: Democratic Republic of Congo resumes cobalt exports after 10-month ban
Uploaded: 2025-12-23T23:57:07.059Z
Duration: 1 min 11 s
Description: The ban was initially designed to stabilise the market and stem falling prices due to global oversupply, according to the Congolese government.

The ban was initially designed to stabilise the market and stem falling prices due to global oversupply, according to the Congolese government.

Katanga

The Democratic Republic of Congo has resumed cobalt exports after a 10-month ban that was initially introduced to stabilize the market and address falling prices caused by global oversupply. The ban, which started in February and was originally set for four months, was extended to ensure national sovereignty over raw materials, according to Finance Minister Dudu Fwembe.

The DRC is responsible for 76% of global cobalt production, with most extraction occurring in Katanga province. The suspension led to a loss of fiscal revenue for the country. Chinese companies, particularly CMOC, play a significant role in the DRC's cobalt sector, operating some of the world's largest mines.

Democratic Republic of Congo resumes cobalt exports after 10-month ban

The Democratic Republic of Congo has resumed cobalt exports after a 10-month halt, the country's finance minister said in a press conference. Introduced in February, the ban was initially imposed for four months. It was designed to stabilise the market and stem falling prices due to global oversupply, the government said at the time. The DRC is by far the world's leading cobalt producer. It was responsible for 76% of the global cobalt production in 2024, or about 220,000 tonnes according to the US Geological Survey. The metal is essential to produce lithium-ion batteries, including those used in smartphones and electric cars. Speaking to reporters, Finance Minister Dudu Fwembe said the 10-month export suspension had aimed to ensure national sovereignty over raw materials. He explained that Congo had lost fiscal revenue due to the systematic decline in cobalt prices. Cobalt is mainly extracted from mines in the southeastern province of Katanga. While China is a major actor of cobalt extraction in the DRC, Chinese mining company CMOC operates Tenke Fungurume and Kizanfu, two of the world's largest mines.

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