The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a strategic reserve for cobalt and other key minerals, giving the state greater control over global supply and prices. As the source of roughly 70% of the world’s cobalt, the move allows regulators to stockpile unused export quotas and release them strategically to stabilize markets. It builds on an export quota system introduced last year after a price-crushing oversupply glut, and reserves 9,600 metric tons of cobalt for state use in 2026 alone. Meanwhile, the government announced in March that companies that miss export deadlines risk losing their quotas to the government reserve entirely. With electric vehicle demand keeping cobalt strategically vital, Congo is essentially creating an OPEC-style mechanism over a mineral the world desperately needs.
Reuters
