Key Minerals of the African Continent: Congo (DRC) Announces Restoration of Cobalt Exports Amid Uncertain New Quota System
¬ The government stated that cobalt exports have resumed after the ban implemented in February
¬ Due to upcoming tests under the quota system, initial shipments are expected to be limited
¬ Questions remain about unused quotas and the speed of export recovery
According to multiple international media reports, Doudou Fwamba, the Minister of Finance of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stated on December 23 that the country has "restored" cobalt exports. This statement marks an official acknowledgment that the complete stoppage of strategic metal cobalt exports has ended following a months-long halt, which was implemented starting in February 2025.
The minister said that the export suspension earlier this year aimed to defend the nation's sovereignty over mineral resources and curb price drops caused by global oversupply. He also pointed out that the recent rebound in cobalt prices proves that the strategy taken under the supervision of the Bureau for the Regulation of Strategic Mineral Markets is reasonable.
Early Signs of Restart
Although the minister did not provide specific conditions, progress, or arrangements for the restart, his comments came as the first business under the new export framework began to take shape.
On Monday, December 22, Reuters reported that Congolese authorities had begun sampling the first cobalt shipments under the new quota system, particularly targeting China Cobalt Industry Co., Ltd. Luoyang Tungsten Company (CMOC), one of the world's leading cobalt producers. The sampling is intended to verify that the cargo meets the requirements before issuing shipping permits.
According to sources quoted by Reuters, the required analysis takes several days, and the initial export volume is expected to be "small." A senior executive from CMOC's subsidiary Tenke Fungurume Mining confirmed that the sampling phase has begun and added that the first shipments are unlikely to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo before January.
Unresolved Issues and Outlook
After lifting the export ban, the Democratic Republic of the Congo introduced a new export quota system in October, but many uncertainties remain regarding its implementation. As previously reported by ecofinagency, cobalt exports were initially expected to resume on October 16, but they remained blocked due to the lack of formal documents detailing the new procedures. This delay shifted attention to operational and legal challenges.
Several mining companies have stated that they cannot use their full 2025 export quotas, raising questions about the handling of unused quotas. According to the regulatory framework, quotas are原则上 non-transferable and non-rollover, but there is limited tolerance at year-end. Early in December, a joint ministerial circular issued by the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Finance helped ease some regulatory deadlocks and allowed the first operations under the new system, starting with small-scale tests.
For the world's largest cobalt producer, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the current challenge lies in proving its ability to implement the new framework effectively in the long term while ensuring fiscal revenue and maintaining the attractiveness of the mining sector. For mining companies, the task is to adapt to this system, as the impact of the system on export volumes and global supply chains remains unclear. The coming weeks will reveal whether the current momentum can translate into a smooth increase in exports or if administrative restrictions will continue to hinder the effective restart of Congo's cobalt supply.
Source: ecofinagency
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852439186127879/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author(s) alone.