DR Congo Critical Minerals
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Congo (Kinshasa) was the world's leading source of mined cobalt in 2025, accounting for an estimated 73% of the world total according to USGS, and also ranks first in tantalum (52%) and second in copper (14%). The country banned cobalt exports on 21 February 2025, lifted the ban on 16 October 2025 and replaced it with quotas of 18,125 tonnes for the rest of 2025 and up to 96,600 tonnes a year in 2026 and 2027, including 9,600 tonnes for national strategic reserves. In December 2025 it also signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United States.
73%
of world mined cobalt came from Congo (Kinshasa) in 2025, followed by Indonesia at 14%, according to USGS
96,600 t
maximum cobalt exports a year from Congo (Kinshasa) in 2026 and 2027, including 9,600 t for national strategic reserves
117,549 t
of cobalt metal produced by CMOC in 2025, from its Tenke Fungurume and Kisanfu mines in Congo (Kinshasa)
Source: CMOC 2025 Annual Report
10.2%
fall in Congo's raw cobalt output in 2025 to about 189,000 t, according to CRU data cited by CMOC
Source: CMOC 2025 Annual Report
Which critical minerals does Congo (Kinshasa) produce?
The table shows where Congo (Kinshasa) ranks in USGS estimates of 2025 world production. Cobalt, tantalum and copper dominate.
| Mineral | 2025 production (USGS estimate) | Share of world | Rank | Reserves (share of world) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt | 230,000 t of cobalt content | 73% | 1 of 12 | 6,000,000 t (50%) |
| Tantalum | 1,300 t of tantalum content | 52% | 1 of 12 | not reported |
| Copper | 3,200 kt of copper content | 14% | 2 of 17 | 80,000 kt (8.2%) |
| Tin | 27,000 t of tin content | 9.3% | 5 of 15 | 91,000 t |
| Niobium | 970 t of niobium content | 0.9% | 3 of 7 | not reported |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 chapters. Shares are calculated by this site from the USGS country figure and the larger of the USGS world total and the sum of the country figures, because USGS rounds the world total. Units differ by row. Rank is among the countries named in each USGS table. The table calculates cobalt at 74% from the rounded world total; USGS states 73% in its text, and this page uses the USGS text figure.
What export rules and agreements apply?
Congo (Kinshasa) moved from a ban to quotas in 2025 and signed a partnership with the United States in December 2025. The table gives each with its date and source.
| Measure | What it does | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt export suspension | Temporary suspension of cobalt exports for four months, extended on 21 June 2025 for three more | 21 February 2025 | CMOC annual report |
| Export quotas | Ban lifted and replaced by quotas of 18,125 t for the rest of 2025 and an annual quota of 96,600 t in 2026 and 2027, including 9,600 t for national strategic reserves | 16 October 2025 | USGS, CMOC |
| Washington Accords and Strategic Partnership Agreement | The Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United States links economic reforms, critical minerals governance and security cooperation, including full supply chain transparency, due diligence and traceability; the Accords include a four-phase concept of operations for Rwanda's troop withdrawal | December 2025 | House Foreign Affairs subcommittee statement |
| Glencore cobalt output | Glencore's own-sourced cobalt fell to 36,100 t in 2025 from 38,200 t, reflecting a prioritisation of copper over cobalt after the export restrictions; it gave no 2026 cobalt guidance | 29 January 2026 | Glencore |
The partnership agreement is read through a congressional statement, not the agreement text.
How did the export ban change the cobalt market?
The ban turned a surplus into a shortage outside the country. CMOC's annual report says the export ban shifted global cobalt from surplus to structural imbalance, with inventories falling outside the Congo and prices rallying, and that the metal's average price rose 42.81% to $16.08 per pound in 2025. USGS says uncertainty after the announcement likely contributed to a sharp rise in US cobalt imports and industry stocks. The export controls page tracks the dates.
Who mines Congolese cobalt?
The largest reporting miners are Chinese and Swiss. CMOC reported 117,549 tonnes of cobalt metal in 2025 and Glencore 36,100 tonnes of own-sourced cobalt across its operations, and artisanal output adds more that no company reports. The miners page gives the sourced figures, and the traceability page covers the due diligence expected of buyers.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the world's cobalt comes from Congo (Kinshasa)?
USGS estimates that Congo (Kinshasa) accounted for 73% of world mined cobalt in 2025, with Indonesia second at 14%.
Does Congo (Kinshasa) still ban cobalt exports?
No. It banned exports on 21 February 2025 and on 16 October 2025 replaced the ban with quotas of 18,125 tonnes for the rest of 2025 and up to 96,600 tonnes a year in 2026 and 2027.
What is the US-Congo agreement?
In December 2025 the two countries signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement, alongside the Washington Accords between Congo and Rwanda, linking economic reforms, critical minerals governance and security cooperation.
What else does Congo (Kinshasa) produce?
USGS ranks it first in tantalum (1,300 t, 52%) and second in copper (3,200 kt, 14%) for 2025.
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Cobalt
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Tantalum
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Copper
- CMOC Group: 2025 Annual Report (HKEX, April 2026)
- Glencore: Full Year 2025 Production Report (29 January 2026)
- House Foreign Affairs subcommittee: opening remarks on the Washington Accords (22 January 2026). Statement by a member of Congress; the agreements were not read
