The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will introduce an annual quota system for cobalt exports from 16 October 2025, replacing a contentious export ban imposed since February 2023.
Under the new framework, miners will be allowed to export up to 18,125 tonnes of cobalt for the remainder of 2025, with annual quotas set at 96,600 tonnes for both 2026 and 2027, according to the country’s mining regulator.
The quotas will be allocated based on historical export volumes, with 10 per cent of future supply earmarked for national strategic projects.
The regulator will retain the authority to adjust allocations depending on market conditions or progress in local refining, and it may repurchase cobalt stocks in excess of company quotas.
The DRC, responsible for around 70 per cent of global cobalt production last year, first implemented the export ban after prices slumped to a nine-year low.
The measure, extended in June 2025, forced major producers including Glencore and China-based CMOC Group to declare force majeure on shipments, Reuters reported.
Cobalt, a critical material for electric vehicle batteries, is also heavily produced through artisanal and small-scale mining in the DRC.
The regulator has said the quota mechanism is intended to bring greater control over supply chains, reduce the influence of unregulated output, and mitigate the role of illicit mining in fuelling conflict involving armed groups such as M23 rebels in the country’s east.
Industry responses to the new system have been divided.
Glencore is reported to support the quota approach as it could help manage inventories and stabilise prices, while CMOC has opposed the restrictions and previously urged Kinshasa to lift the export ban in May.
Traders linked to Glencore have highlighted the importance of achieving more balanced cobalt markets before lifting curbs, noting oversupply pressures from both the DRC and Indonesia.
Bloomberg also reported that Glencore is in talks to sell a majority stake in the Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), a major copper and cobalt producer in Congo, which has faced operational difficulties and disputes with the government over royalties during the downturn in cobalt prices.
