DR Congo mines three-quarters of the world's cobalt
Cobalt mine production by country, thousand tonnes of contained cobalt, 2025 estimate vs 2024.
DR Congo mined 230,000 of the world's 310,000 tonnes of cobalt in 2025.
DR Congo out-mined Indonesia, the runner-up, which climbed to 44,000 tonnes.
DR Congo's annual export quota for 2026–27 is under half of its 2025 mine output.
the numbers
| Mine output (kt) | 2024 (kt) | Share of world (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR Congo | 230.0 | 226.0 | 74.2 |
| Indonesia | 44.0 | 35.0 | 14.2 |
| Russia | 7.7 | 8.0 | 2.5 |
| Madagascar | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.3 |
| Australia | 3.7 | 4.8 | 1.2 |
| Philippines | 3.7 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| Canada | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.1 |
| Papua New Guinea | 2.8 | 2.6 | 0.9 |
| Cuba | 2.0 | 3.5 | 0.6 |
| China | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 |
| Turkey | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.6 |
| United States | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
source notes & method
2025 values are USGS estimates; 2024 values are reported. Shares are derived from USGS's rounded world total (310,000 t in 2025). 'Other countries' (9,100 t) not shown. DR Congo banned cobalt exports in Feb 2025, replacing the ban in Oct 2025 with quotas of up to 96,600 t a year for 2026 and 2027 (including 9,600 t for strategic reserves); the quota-to-output comparison (42%) is derived. Country values sum to 314.6 kt, above USGS's rounded 310 kt world total, so shares sum to ~101%.
Published 20 Oct 2026
what connects to this
one plate, every morning
The new world, explained in one chart, in your inbox at 7:00, your time. Free.
or follow via rss, the "rss" in progrss