Congo export curbs to keep cobalt scarce till 2030

A GLOBAL cobalt shortage is expected to persist through the end of this decade as export restrictions from the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to disrupt supply chains, said Bloomberg News citing the views of trading house Darton Commodities.Congo, which typically accounts for more than 70% of global cobalt supply, banned exports in February last year before introducing strict quotas from October, aiming to reduce a glut and support prices, said the newswire.The measures triggered a deficit of more than 82,000 tons in 2025, according to Darton, while global refined cobalt output fell by around a fifth, its first decline in five years.Benchmark cobalt prices have surged more than 160% since the restrictions were imposed, according to Fastmarkets, with cobalt hydroxide – the main product exported from Congo – more than quadrupling.Bloomberg quoted Darton as saying the export curbs had pushed the market into a sharp technical deficit, with surplus inventories built up before the ban now being structurally depleted.While Darton expects a smaller deficit this year, it forecasts shortages to persist annually through 2030. Congo may opt to ease quotas this year to avoid demand destruction while maximising revenue in a tightly supplied market.Despite the shift from an outright ban to a quota system, exports only recently resumed following delays in implementing new procedures, with the first raw material arrivals in China expected around May or June, said Bloomberg News.Darton flagged growing risks around Indonesian mixed hydroxide precipitate production, citing sulphur disruptions, ore availability and environmental concerns.It added that Congo’s restrictions had accelerated investment in product diversification and material substitution, trends that could ultimately dampen demand growth in certain end-use markets.The post Congo export curbs to keep cobalt scarce till 2030 appeared first on Miningmx.Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Mining.com Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Mining.com