The Democratic Republic of Congo will claw back unused cobalt export quotas from the first half of 2026 and reassign them to a state-controlled “strategic quota,” regulator ARECOMS announced, tightening its grip on global supply. Any allocations from January through June left unused by June 30 will be forfeited, with the change taking effect July 1. The reassigned volumes will fund projects deemed of national interest, including those that boost local processing capacity. Shipments must also be declared through customs by July 5 to qualify under existing allocations. Congo, holder of over 70% of the world’s cobalt reserves, has used export curbs to help drive prices up 160% since February 2025.
Reuters