OpenOrebeta

Cobalt

Battery metals

Compare

Watch and Edit are coming soon.

Cite this profile

The sources listed are the ones this profile uses, with the years their figures describe. The access date is today.

China refined 76% (IEA) of the world's cobalt in 2025; Democratic Republic of the Congo mined 73% (USGS).

76%

of the world's cobalt was refined in China in 2025, according to IEA · about 3 in 4

ANNUAL 2025

  • Leading mining country

    73%

    Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2025 (estimated), USGS

  • Leading refining country

    76%

    China, 2025, IEA

  • Sites on record

    95

    Mines and plants in the open sources. Coverage is partial. Also on record: 56 deposits and projects, which are not counted.

  • Recycling's share of EU demand

    22%

    2022, EU only

OverviewSupply chainMoneySustainabilityRisks & policySourcesHistory & talk

Overview

Cobalt is mostly a by-product of copper and nickel mining. Ore is processed into an intermediate (often hydroxide) and refined into sulphate for batteries or metal for alloys.

Map

Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain)
  • Share of world mine output
  • Mine or brine operation
  • Processing site
  • Deposit or project (not a mine or a plant yet)

Sites are those in the open sources. A site missing here is missing from the sources, not from the world.

2025

Key facts

Group
Battery metals
Stages in the atlas
Reserves · Mine · Process · Refine · Component · Recycle
World mine production, 2025
310 000 metric tons (estimated)
World refinery production, 2025
238 kt Co
Open price series
None

Open on the globe →Flow diagram →

Leading countries

Mine · USGS, 2025 (estimated)

  1. Congo (Kinshasa)about 3 in 473%
  2. Indonesiaabout 1 in 1014%
  3. Russia2.4%
  4. Madagascar1.2%
  5. Australia1.2%

Refine · IEA, 2025

  1. Chinaabout 3 in 476%
  2. Finlandabout 1 in 108.4%
  3. Japan2.5%
  4. Indonesia2.5%
  5. Canada2.5%

The five largest shares of each stage's latest table. One source per stage; the Supply chain tab has every source and every row.

What the source does not cover

  • No open price series for cobalt: the World Bank Pink Sheet does not cover it, and the price services that do are licensed, so no price is shown.

Supply chain

Every stage with its table by country, the flow between stages, the largest recorded trade flows and the sites on record.

Reserves

Concentration

ANNUAL 2025

Congo (Kinshasa) holds about half (50 %) of the world's cobalt reserves recorded here.

Reserves · 2025

(Data in metric tons, cobalt content, unless otherwise specified)

Top 3 countries
70.8 %
Congo (Kinshasa), Australia, Russia

Who holds what

Mine

Concentration

ANNUAL 2025

Congo (Kinshasa) mines about 3 in 4 (73 %) of the world's cobalt recorded here.

Mine production · 2025 (estimated)

(Data in metric tons, cobalt content, unless otherwise specified)

Top 3 countries
89.5 %
Congo (Kinshasa), Indonesia, Russia

Who holds what

Process

No data yet: Cobalt, process stage

We have no sourced record for this. We never fill gaps with estimates.

Help add it

Refine

Concentration

ANNUAL 2025

China refines about 3 in 4 (76 %) of the world's cobalt recorded here.

Refining (IEA) · 2025

kt = kilotonnes. DRC = Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Top 3 countries
86.6 %
China, Finland, Japan

Who holds what

  • China180 kt Co75.6 %
  • Finland20 kt Co8.4 %
  • Other countries17 kt Co7.1 %
  • Japan6 kt Co2.5 %
  • Indonesia6 kt Co2.5 %
  • Canada6 kt Co2.5 %
  • Norway3 kt Co1.3 %
  • World total238 kt Co

Component

No data yet: Cobalt, component stage

We have no sourced record for this. We never fill gaps with estimates.

Help add it

Recycle

No data yet: Cobalt, recycle stage

We have no sourced record for this. We never fill gaps with estimates.

Help add it

Flow through the stages

Bars are each country's share of one stage, taken from one source. Bands are trade flows that customs data record between two countries. The two are measured differently, so a band's width says nothing about a bar's height. Where the data records nothing, the diagram says so.

Source for the country shares:One source at a time; figures from two sources are never mixed.

The diagram is wider than this screen. Swipe it sideways to see every stage.

MineMining (IEA) · 2025ProcessNo open table by countryfor this stage in thissourceIn trade flows only (no row in this table)RefineRefining (IEA) · 2025In trade flows only (no row in this table)ComponentNo open record ofcomponent production bycountryIn trade flows only (no row in this table)Dem. Rep. of the Congo → China: 3 019.5 million USD, 2024Dem. Rep. of the Congo → Namibia: 142.3 million USD, 202412 more countries → China: 108.1 million USD, 2024Norway → USA: 85.4 million USD, 2024Zambia → South Africa: 79 million USD, 2024Namibia → China: 72.8 million USD, 2024Australia → Other Asia, nes: 71.3 million USD, 2024Dem. Rep. of the Congo → 12 more countries: 67.2 million USD, 2024USA → 7 more countries: 61.7 million USD, 2024Finland → Japan: 58.1 million USD, 2024China → 12 more countries: 56.8 million USD, 2024Finland → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998): 56 million USD, 202412 more countries → 7 more countries: 53.7 million USD, 202412 more countries → USA: 47.8 million USD, 2024Japan → USA: 45.5 million USD, 2024Canada → 7 more countries: 40.2 million USD, 2024Canada → USA: 40 million USD, 2024China → Netherlands: 37.9 million USD, 2024Canada → China: 36.5 million USD, 2024Namibia → 12 more countries: 31.1 million USD, 2024Canada → Netherlands: 29.4 million USD, 2024Canada → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998): 29.4 million USD, 2024Dem. Rep. of the Congo → 7 more countries: 27 million USD, 2024China → USA: 26.6 million USD, 2024Finland → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998): 24.8 million USD, 2024Indonesia → China: 22.5 million USD, 2024Finland → 12 more countries: 22 million USD, 2024Japan → China: 21.5 million USD, 2024China → 7 more countries: 21.4 million USD, 2024Finland → USA: 20.4 million USD, 202412 more countries → Japan: 19.1 million USD, 2024DRC → Morocco: 18.7 million USD, 2024Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998) → 7 more countries: 16 million USD, 2024Canada → Japan: 15.7 million USD, 2024DRC 65.6 %Indonesia 15.0 %Russia 2.5 %China 2.2 %Australia 1.3 %Zambia 1.3 %Other / not attributed 12.2 %Dem. Rep. of the CongoNamibiaFinlandZambiaChinaMoroccoChina 75.6 %Finland 8.4 %Japan 2.5 %Indonesia 2.5 %Canada 2.5 %Norway 1.3 %Other / not attributed 7.1 %Dem. Rep. of the CongoNamibiaUSASouth AfricaBelgium-Luxembourg (...1998)Australia12 more countriesChinaUSAJapanOther Asia, nesNetherlandsBelgium-Luxembourg (...1998)7 more countriesRecycling back into supply: cobalt 22.0 % (2022), EU only
  • Bar: a country's share of the stage's output. Height is the share. Sources:Mine 2025Refine 2025
  • Band: recorded trade, by value, 2024. In US dollars, not tonnes. Width compares flows of the same product only. A band runs from the exporter to the importer's place in the next stage; the data does not say what the importer did with the product. The data holds only the largest flows of the material: 40 of 1 856 flows, covering 80.2 % of traded value.
  • Dashed band: the customs code mixes grades or forms, so the stage of the product is uncertain. The table marks these with ≈.
  • Dashed box: a country that appears in a recorded trade flow but has no row in this stage's table. It has no share.
  • Not recorded: material processed in the country that mined it. Trade data only sees border crossings. A dotted line joins a country that appears in two neighbouring tables.
  • Return arrow: recycling's share of EU demand (end-of-life recycling input rate). EU only, so it cannot be compared with the world shares above. Width: 1 px at 0 % to 10 px at 100 %.
Table of what is drawn (34 country marks, 40 trade flows)
Country shares per stage, from IEA GCMO 2026.
StageCountryShareAmountSource
Mine 2025DRC65.6 %210 kt Co
Mine 2025Indonesia15.0 %48 kt Co
Mine 2025Russia2.5 %8 kt Co
Mine 2025China2.2 %7 kt Co
Mine 2025Australia1.3 %4 kt Co
Mine 2025Zambia1.3 %4 kt Co
Mine 2025Other / not attributed12.2 %39 kt Cothe source's own "other" row
Refine 2025China75.6 %180 kt Co
Refine 2025Finland8.4 %20 kt Co
Refine 2025Japan2.5 %6 kt Co
Refine 2025Indonesia2.5 %6 kt Co
Refine 2025Canada2.5 %6 kt Co
Refine 2025Norway1.3 %3 kt Co
Refine 2025Other / not attributed7.1 %17 kt Cothe source's own "other" row
Recorded trade flows drawn as bands, by value, 2024. ≈ marks a customs code that mixes grades or forms.
Product of stageFrom → toMillion USDSource
Refine ≈Dem. Rep. of the Congo → China3 019.5
Process ≈Dem. Rep. of the Congo → Namibia142.3
Refine ≈Norway → USA85.4
Process ≈Zambia → South Africa79
Process ≈Namibia → China72.8
Refine ≈Australia → Other Asia, nes71.3
Process ≈Dem. Rep. of the Congo → Zambia67.2
Refine ≈Finland → Japan58.1
Process ≈China → Rep. of Korea56.8
Process ≈Finland → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998)56
Refine ≈Madagascar → USA47.8
Refine ≈Japan → USA45.5
Refine ≈Philippines → China41.5
Refine ≈Malaysia → China41.1
Refine ≈Canada → Norway40.2
Refine ≈Canada → USA40
Refine ≈China → Netherlands37.9
Refine ≈Canada → China36.5
Refine ≈Canada → Netherlands29.4
Refine ≈Canada → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998)29.4
Refine ≈Mozambique → Malaysia27.7
Refine ≈Dem. Rep. of the Congo → Rep. of Korea27
Refine ≈China → USA26.6
Refine ≈Congo → Malaysia26
Refine ≈Russian Federation → China25.5
Refine ≈Finland → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998)24.8
Refine ≈USA → Ireland24.1
Refine ≈Indonesia → China22.5
Process ≈Finland → Fed. Rep. of Germany (...1990)22
Refine ≈Japan → China21.5
Refine ≈China → United Kingdom21.4
Refine ≈USA → France21
Process ≈Finland → USA20.4
Refine ≈Morocco → Japan19.1
MineDem. Rep. of the Congo → Morocco18.7
Refine ≈USA → Fed. Rep. of Germany (...1990)16.7
Process ≈Namibia → Saudi Arabia16.1
Refine ≈Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998) → Fed. Rep. of Germany (...1990)16
Refine ≈Canada → Japan15.7
Process ≈Namibia → Switzerland15

Countries drawn as dashed boxes (in trade flows only)

  • Process: Dem. Rep. of the Congo; Namibia; Finland; Zambia; China; Morocco
  • Refine: Dem. Rep. of the Congo; Namibia; USA; South Africa; Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998); Australia; 12 more countries (Zambia, Rep. of Korea, Madagascar, Philippines, Malaysia, Mozambique, Congo, Russian Federation, Fed. Rep. of Germany (...1990), Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland)
  • Component: China; USA; Japan; Other Asia, nes; Netherlands; Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998); 7 more countries (Malaysia, Norway, Fed. Rep. of Germany (...1990), Rep. of Korea, Ireland, United Kingdom, France)

Recycling loop

  • Cobalt: 22.0 % (2022, European Union)

Largest trade flows · 2024

Reconciled customs data (CEPII BACI), by value. Trade data lags: this is the latest complete year. 40 of 1 856 flows shown, covering 80.2 % of traded value.

Largest trade flows 2024
From → toProduct of stageMillion USDSource
Dem. Rep. of the Congo → ChinaRefine ≈3 019.5
Dem. Rep. of the Congo → NamibiaProcess ≈142.3
Norway → USARefine ≈85.4
Zambia → South AfricaProcess ≈79
Namibia → ChinaProcess ≈72.8
Australia → Other Asia, nesRefine ≈71.3
Dem. Rep. of the Congo → ZambiaProcess ≈67.2
Finland → JapanRefine ≈58.1
China → Rep. of KoreaProcess ≈56.8
Finland → Belgium-Luxembourg (...1998)Process ≈56

≈ marks a customs code that mixes grades or forms of the material, so stages cannot be told apart. Expert mode shows the codes.

Sites on record · 95 and 56 deposits and projects

151 of 151 shown

One entry per site. Where two sources describe the same site, the atlas lists the record of the source it ranks higher.

United States view: Cobalt

These figures describe the United States only. They are not global figures.

Net import reliance · 2025
79 %
Import sources · 2021-24
  • Norway26 %
  • Finland16 %
  • Canada14 %
  • Japan14 %
  • Other30 %
Scrap (circularity) · 2025 estimate
Value 68 million USDDomestic 58.82 %Imported 29.41 %Exported 11.76 %
Main uses
  • Batteries and metallurgy.

Money

The open price series where one exists, and one estimate with its formula. No licensed market data is shown.

Price

There is no open price series for cobalt, so the atlas shows no price and no estimated value.

  • No open price series for cobalt: the World Bank Pink Sheet does not cover it, and the price services that do are licensed, so no price is shown.

An estimated production value is computed only where an open price exists (copper and nickel). Why prices are missing

Investment pipeline

announced figures

Planned and under-construction cobalt projects with a publicly announced capital cost, public financial backing, or both. Each line is one statement by the named publisher on the given date; the atlas adds nothing to it.

  • cobalt sulfate refineryPlannedProcessing

    Electra Battery Materials Corporation · Temiskaming Shores · Canada · Cobalt

    “early works program ... to prepare for the restart of full-scale construction” · status as printed on 2025-06-19

    Announced capital cost

    USD 250 M2024-08-19

    refinery project (release states all amounts in US dollars unless otherwise stated) · Electra Battery Materials Corporation

    The publisher's words: “The $250 million refinery project is located north of Toronto, in Temiskaming Shores”
    Public backing

    • USD 20 MGrant · “awarded” · 2024-08-19

      U.S. Department of Defense (Defense Production Act Title III)

      The publisher's words: “it has been awarded $20 million by the U.S. Department of Defense”

  • Kabanga Nickel ProjectPlannedMine

    Lifezone Metals Limited · northwestern Tanzania · Tanzania · Nickel, Copper, Cobalt

    “on track for a Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2026” · status as printed on 2025-12-11

    Announced capital cost

    USD 942 M2025-07-18

    Pre-production capital costs, including 9.7% contingency (Feasibility Study, initial development phase) · Lifezone Metals Limited

    The publisher's words: “Pre-production capital costs of $942 million, including 9.7% contingency.”
    Public backing

    • no amount statedLetter of interest · “Letter of Interest” · 2024-09-23

      U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

      The publisher's words: “has received a Letter of Interest from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) that expressed DFC’s interest in considering the Project for loans”

A short, hand-read list, not a census: 19 projects in all. Announced amounts are not spending, a letter of interest or a conditional commitment is not a loan, and amounts stay in the currency of the announcement.

Public support instruments

Stockpiles, price floors, offtake and purchasing programmes and public funds whose source names cobalt, and general critical-minerals instruments (marked). Each is one statement by its publisher.

  1. 2024-05-23in force from · European UnionJoint purchasingin force

    The Critical Raw Materials Act obliges the Commission to run a demand-aggregation and joint-purchasing system for strategic raw materials and to set a benchmark for strategic stocks.

    Covers: “strategic raw materials” · Materials: Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Lithium, Graphite, Nickel, Rare earths, Tungsten

    The publisher's words: “The Commission shall set up and operate a system to aggregate the demand of interested undertakings consuming strategic raw materials established in the Union”
    2 further statements from the source

    joint negotiation of purchases allowed (Article 25(5))

    The publisher's words: “may, on a transparent basis, jointly negotiate the purchase, including the prices or other terms and conditions of the purchasing agreement”

    coordination of strategic stocks (Article 23)

    The publisher's words: “shall adopt a benchmark indicating a safe level of Union strategic stocks of strategic raw materials”

  2. 2025-06-17announced · G7Other supportannounced

    G7 leaders launched a Critical Minerals Action Plan with a roadmap for standards-based markets and a call for more public and private capital for critical minerals projects.

    Covers: “critical minerals”

    critical minerals in general; the source does not name cobalt

    The publisher's words: “We will develop a roadmap to promote standards-based markets for critical minerals”
    3 further statements from the source

    launch of the plan

    The publisher's words: “We are launching a G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan”

    roadmap content

    The publisher's words: “The roadmap will establish a set of criteria that constitute a minimum threshold for standards-based markets”

    capital mobilisation

    The publisher's words: “We encourage our export credit agencies and development finance institutions (DFIs) to identify more opportunities for collaboration”

  3. 2025-11-04published · CanadaFundannounced

    Budget 2025 proposes a Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund at Natural Resources Canada for equity investments, loan guarantees and offtake agreements, and a First and Last Mile Fund.

    CAD 2 bn · “$2 billion over five years, on a cash basis, starting in 2026-27”

    Covers: “critical minerals projects and companies”

    critical minerals in general; the source does not name cobalt

    The publisher's words: “provide $2 billion over five years, on a cash basis, starting in 2026-27, to Natural Resources Canada to create the Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund”
    3 further statements from the source

    tools of the fund

    The publisher's words: “including equity investments, loan guarantees, and offtake agreements”

    First and Last Mile Fund

    The publisher's words: “provide $371.8 million over four years, starting in 2026-27, to Natural Resources Canada to create the First and Last Mile Fund”

    absorbs the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund

    The publisher's words: “would absorb the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund and leverage its existing funding envelope to provide up to $1.5 billion in support through 2029-30”

  4. 2025-11-22published · United KingdomFundannounced

    The UK critical minerals strategy Vision 2035 announces public funding for critical mineral projects and says stockpiling through procurement will be considered for the defence sector.

    GBP 50 M · “up to £50 million”

    Covers: “critical mineral projects in the UK”

    critical minerals in general; the source does not name cobalt

    The publisher's words: “funding of up to £50 million will be made available by DBT to support critical mineral projects”
    2 further statements from the source

    stockpiling under consideration

    The publisher's words: “Measures could include stockpiling, including through procurement mechanisms”

    later programme page (published 22 June 2026): grant share

    The publisher's words: “with £45 million of this available as grant funding”

  5. 2025-12-03announced · European UnionFundannounced

    The Commission adopted the RESourceEU Action Plan: project financing, a European Critical Raw Materials Centre, joint purchasing through the Raw Materials Platform and a stockpiling pilot.

    EUR 3 bn · “up to €3 billion over the next 12 months”

    Covers: “critical raw materials, such as rare earth elements, cobalt or lithium” · Materials: Rare earths, Cobalt, Lithium

    The publisher's words: “The EU will mobilise up to €3 billion over the next 12 months to support concrete projects”
    5 further statements from the source

    adoption

    The publisher's words: “The European Commission has adopted today the RESourceEU Action Plan”

    European Critical Raw Materials Centre planned

    The publisher's words: “In early 2026, the Commission will set up a European Critical Raw Materials Centre”

    joint purchasing and offtake via the Raw Materials Platform

    The publisher's words: “the Raw Materials Platform will facilitate the efforts of the companies to aggregate demand, jointly purchase strategic raw materials and secure offtake agreements”

    stockpiling pilot

    The publisher's words: “with a pilot scheme set to become operational in early 2026”

    materials named

    The publisher's words: “secure the EU's supply of critical raw materials, such as rare earth elements, cobalt or lithium”

  6. 2026-01-14signed · United StatesPrice floorannounced

    Presidential proclamation under section 232 directing negotiations on imports of processed critical minerals, in which price floors for trade in critical minerals are to be considered.

    Covers: “processed critical minerals and their derivative products (PCMDPs)”

    critical minerals in general; the source does not name cobalt

    The publisher's words: “the Secretary and the Trade Representative should consider price floors for trade in critical minerals and other trade-restricting measures”

  7. 2026-02-02announced · United StatesStockpileannounced

    The Export-Import Bank approved a direct loan for Project Vault, a public-private partnership that is to establish a U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve storing raw materials for manufacturers.

    USD 10 bn · “a Direct Loan of up to $10 billion”

    Covers: “essential raw materials”

    critical minerals in general; the source does not name cobalt

    The publisher's words: “the EXIM Board of Directors approved a Direct Loan of up to $10 billion to Project Vault”
    4 further statements from the source

    what it establishes

    The publisher's words: “a supply chain security initiative establishing the U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve”

    storage

    The publisher's words: “that will store essential raw materials in facilities across the United States”

    borrower structure

    The publisher's words: “providing long-term financing to a partnership between original equipment manufacturers and private sector capital providers”

    later EXIM release of May 4, 2026 restating the loan

    The publisher's words: “The transaction includes a direct loan of up to $10 billion”

There is no open price series for cobalt, so these instruments are listed without a chart.

These figures are informational, not financial advice.

Sustainability

Four indicators, the same on every profile. Each is a figure with its unit, year and source, or a plain statement that there is none.

  • Carbon

    Grid-carbon proxy: the grid intensity of the refining countries, weighted by their share of refining.

    473gCO2e/kWh

    2025Estimated

    Higher than 17% of the other 6 materials with a computed proxy.

    • Covers the countries behind 93% of refinery output (Refining (IEA), 2025).
    • Average grid emissions intensity of the countries that refine the material, weighted by each country's share of refinery output in the source table. Countries without a grid figure are left out and the covered share is stated. A proxy for the electricity behind refining, not a product footprint: plants may run on their own power.

  • Water

    Share of the material's mine sites on record that lie in high or extremely high baseline water stress.

    5.6%of mine sites on record

    2023Estimated

    Higher than 43% of the other 7 materials with rated mine sites.

    • 4 of 72 sites with a class (72 mine and brine sites on record).
    • Counted by site, not by tonnage: it is not a share of production.
    • "Arid and Low Water Use" is a class of its own in the source and is not counted as high.

  • Land

    Land visibly used by mining.

    Not available per material: the area is mapped per country for all commodities together.

    • Mapped from satellite images for all mining in a country. It cannot be attributed to one material or one site.

  • Circularity

    Recycling's share of EU demand (end-of-life recycling input rate).

    22%of EU demand

    2022Reported

    Higher than 88% of the other 8 elements in the atlas with a published EU rate.

    • Published for the EU as a whole. It cannot be compared with world shares.
    • End-of-life recycling input rate: the share of EU demand met by recycling old scrap. EU only. Values differ between assessment years partly because the method changed.
    • 8 EU targets apply to this material; they are listed below.

There is no overall score: the four figures measure different things and are not added up. How to read these figures

The figures behind the indicators

Grid-carbon proxy for refining

estimated · proxy

473gCO2e per kWh

Covers the countries behind 92.9% of refinery output (Refining (IEA), 2025)

CountryShare of refiningGrid intensity
China75.6%5282025
Finland8.4%592025
Japan2.5%4742025
Indonesia2.5%7052025
Canada2.5%1922025
Norway1.3%282025

Average grid emissions intensity of the countries that refine the material, weighted by each country's share of refinery output in the source table. Countries without a grid figure are left out and the covered share is stated. A proxy for the electricity behind refining, not a product footprint: plants may run on their own power.

Water stress where the mines are

estimated · by site

5.6%of mine sites on record lie in high or extremely high water stress (4 of 72)

  • Low (<10%)54 sites
  • Low - Medium (10-20%)4 sites
  • Medium - High (20-40%)2 sites
  • High (40-80%)3 sites
  • Extremely High (>80%)1 site
  • Arid and Low Water Use8 sites

Of the mines and brine operations the atlas has on record for the material, the share that lies in a sub-basin with high or extremely high baseline water stress (WRI Aqueduct 4.0). Counted by site, not by tonnage: the atlas has no output figure for most sites, so this is not a share of production. "Arid and Low Water Use" is the source's own class for dry sub-basins with little demand; it is shown apart (hatched) because it is not a stress level.

Circularity

Recycling's share of EU demand (end-of-life recycling input rate)

Material2013201620192022
Cobalt16%0%22.1%22%

End-of-life recycling input rate: the share of EU demand met by recycling old scrap. EU only. Values differ between assessment years partly because the method changed. The latest published figure is for 2022.

EU targets that apply

Read in the original Official Journal version; later amendments are not reflected.

Risks & policy

Export controls in force

Compiled by USGS, effective January 2026. Not a live feed.

  • ▲ BanNamibia2023

    Export ban: Ores and concentrates of cobalt, graphite, lithium, manganese, and rare earths (2023).

    Source ↗
  • ▲ QuotaCongo (Kinshasa)2025

    Export quota: Cobalt (2025).

    Source ↗

Chokepoints at sea

The atlas has no record of which minerals pass through which sea passage, so no chokepoint figure is attached to this profile. Current ship counts for the main passages are on the Live page. Open the Live page

What if?

Three calculators run on the figures of this profile. Each shows its formula and what it leaves out; none is a forecast.

What the atlas does not know about cobalt

How much of the chain is on record, which producer countries have no site in the atlas, how mining and refining compare, and whether a price is open.

Data coverage

Mines on record: 78.5% (7/12)

Plants on record: 3.8% (2/6)

Owner or operator known: 78.4% (6/12)

Assurance known: no public assurance list is ingested yet

  • Mines:79% of world output lies in countries with a record (7 of 12 countries)(Mine production, 2025)

    Producer countries without a record: Indonesia 14%, Russia 2.4%, Papua New Guinea 0.9%, China 0.6%, Turkey 0.6%

  • Processing plants:3.8% of world output lies in countries with a record (2 of 6 countries)(Refining (IEA), 2025)

    Producer countries without a record: China 76%, Finland 8.4%, Japan 2.5%, Indonesia 2.5%

  • Owners and operators:78% of world output lies in countries with a record (6 of 12 countries)(Mine production, 2025)

    Producer countries without a record: Indonesia 14%, Russia 2.4%, Papua New Guinea 0.9%, China 0.6%, Turkey 0.6%, United States 0.1%

  • Assurance: No public assurance list is ingested yet

A country in these lists marks missing data, not missing industry.

Mining and refining: who leads

  • IEA GCMO 2026, 2025

    • Mining:DRC 66% (about 2 in 3), 2025
    • Refining:China 76% (about 3 in 4), 2025

Price transparency

No open price series for cobalt: the services that publish one are licensed, so no price is shown.

Add dataAll gaps, across materials

Sources

Every source this profile uses, with its licence, the years its figures describe and how sure the figures are. Each chip on the profile opens the single record.

Source registry for this material

History & talk

Revision history and discussion are coming soon.

Every change to a figure will be listed here with its source, its credit and its review, and each profile will have a place to discuss it. Until then the data changes only when a source is updated, and every figure links to that source.

What can be contributed today

Type the name of a material, a country, a site or a company.