The DRC has begun collecting samples ahead of the first cobalt shipment by Chinese mining company CMOC under a newly introduced export quota system, according to government sources.
Sampling is being carried out in preparation for an initial shipment from CMOC’s Tenke Fungurume Mining operation, though officials did not disclose the volume or exact timing. One source said export approval procedures are under way, with laboratory results expected within days before loading can begin.
The DRC accounts for more than 70 percent of global mined cobalt supply, with output estimated at about 280,000 metric tonnes this year. Recent export controls have tightened availability of the metal, a key component in electric vehicle batteries, contributing to higher global prices.
The quota system, launched in mid October, allocates 18,125 tonnes for the fourth quarter and is set to cap annual cobalt exports at 96,600 tonnes from 2026. CMOC and Glencore, the world’s two largest cobalt producers, received the biggest allocations under the scheme.
CMOC’s fourth quarter quota stands at 6,650 tonnes, while Glencore was allocated 3,925 tonnes. Media previously reported that Glencore would be the first company to ship cobalt under the new system, sending a small cargo to test the process.
A source at Tenke Fungurume Mining confirmed that sampling had begun but said the shipment is unlikely to take place before January and would be limited in size under the 2025 quota.
Under the new rules, exporters are required to pay a 10 percent royalty and secure a compliance certificate before any cargo can be moved. Government sources said CMOC has already submitted its export request and will pay the required royalty.
Mining industry representatives have raised concerns about legal uncertainty and administrative hurdles linked to the new regime, warning that requirements such as upfront royalty payments within 48 hours could delay exports and disrupt global battery supply chains.
Officials from the mining ministry and the Chamber of Mines met in Kinshasa last week to discuss the concerns, but participants said the talks made little progress.