Cobalt producers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are still waiting for government clearance to resume exports under a new quota system introduced on October 16, which was expected to restart shipments immediately, according to four industry sources who spoke with Reuters.
The new quota framework replaced a months-long export suspension that had disrupted global supply chains and unsettled electric vehicle manufacturers, particularly in China, the world’s largest consumer of cobalt.
The DRC, which supplies more than 70% of global cobalt output, temporarily froze exports in an attempt to tighten supply and boost prices.
Under the new policy, companies are required to apply for monthly export quotas through the Strategic Mineral Substances Market Regulation and Control Authority (ARECOMS), the state regulator overseeing cobalt exports.
Firms must also prepay royalties based on assigned export volumes and current market prices before shipping.
To export, producers must validate their quotas and product quality, obtain traceability and compliance certificates, and permit ARECOMS oversight during sampling.
For the months of October and November, prepayments are being combined to activate both months’ quotas, the regulator said. Although quotas have been distributed, approvals have yet to be granted.
Sources within mining and trading firms said they were hoping for confirmation by the end of October but warned that delays remain possible. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
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The Congolese government had previously stated that no delays would occur. However, both ARECOMS and the mines ministry declined to comment on the current status of approvals.
It remains unclear whether all producers have completed their quota applications. Glencore, the world’s second-largest cobalt producer, declined to comment, while CMOC Group Ltd., the top producer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The quota system operates on a “use-it-or-lose-it” basis, meaning unutilized export volumes will expire if not shipped within the set timeframe. ARECOMS has established export limits of 18,125 metric tons for the fourth quarter of 2025 and 77,400 tons for 2026.
Unused quotas for 2025 may be carried over within the same year but will expire at year-end. Beginning in 2026, quotas will reset monthly and cannot be rolled over.
Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi said the export freeze had succeeded in stabilizing the market, driving a 92% rebound in cobalt prices since March, and described the new quota system as “a real lever to influence this strategic market” after years of what he called “predatory strategies.”
The system has divided major producers. Glencore has expressed support for the new framework, while CMOC has opposed it. CMOC’s Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu mines received the largest allocations, 6,650 tons for the fourth quarter of 2025 and 31,920 tons for 2026.
Meanwhile, Glencore’s Kamoto Copper Company and Mutanda Mining were granted 3,925 tons and 18,840 tons, respectively. ARECOMS retained a 10% strategic allocation.
On the COMEX exchange, cobalt prices have surged 90% since reaching a nine-year low of $10 per pound in February, when the export freeze was first imposed.
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Image Credit: 2025 NES Africa Group
