DRC's cobalt export ban extended by three months

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has extended its ban on exports of cobalt -- intended to curb oversupply of the electric vehicle battery material -- by three months, a regulatory agency said on Saturday, 21 June 2025.

Image credit: Paul-Alain Hunt on Unsplash

The world's top cobalt supplier imposed a four-month suspension on exports in February after prices had hit a nine-year low at just $10 a pound. The ban was due to expire on Sunday, 22 June 2025.

"The decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension due to the continued high level of stock on the market," the Authority for the Regulation and Control of Strategic Mineral Substances' Markets (ARECOMS) said in a statement.

ARECOMS said it expected to announce a subsequent decision to either modify, extend or terminate the suspension before the new three-month window closes in September.

Source: © AVZ Minerals As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) works towards leveraging its mining sector for broader economic upliftment, it will need to support the raising of standards across a wide range of mining disciplines. Pictured: The Manono-Kitotolo lithium project in the DRC

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Reuters reported on Friday, 20 June 2025 that Congolese authorities were considering extending the ban as they explored how to distribute quotas for shipments of cobalt among mining companies.

A proposal to implement quotas has backing from miners including Glencore, the world's second-largest cobalt-producing company. But Glencore's position differs from that of the number one producer, China's CMOC Group, which has lobbied for the ban to be lifted.