Shipping data showed that the DRC's copper exports fell 14.6% in Q1, pulling back from abnormally strong levels a year earlier, while cobalt exports saw a sharp rebound after months of stagnation.
The DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer, holding 70% of global cobalt reserves, and also the second-largest copper supplier, making it a critical pillar of the global supply chain for EVs and the clean energy transition. Data showed that the country exported approximately 4.83 million mt of copper and 245,700 mt of cobalt in 2025.
Following strong growth in 2025, global copper production is expected to decline this year.
Data showed that from January to March 2026, the DRC exported approximately 955,000 mt of copper, down from approximately 1.09 million mt a year earlier. The DRC's copper exports in early 2026 were primarily supported by major miners. Cobalt exports followed a markedly different trend. In early 2026, the DRC exported approximately 48,800 mt of cobalt, compared with approximately 123,000 mt in the same period last year — when exports had been frontloaded ahead of a four-month export ban.
As US-Israeli military operations against Iran disrupted transportation, Congolese miners were facing difficulties in obtaining key chemical raw materials needed for copper and cobalt processing, forcing some operators to consider cutting usage. This pressure was evident in the import flows of chemical raw materials, which are essential for ore leaching and maintaining production.
In Q1 2025, the DRC imported approximately 414,600 mt of sulphur, 113,000 mt of sulphuric acid, and 7,300 mt of caustic soda. Data showed that in the same period this year, sulphur imports were approximately 368,500 mt, while imports of sulphuric acid and caustic soda declined to approximately 29,200 mt and 3,900 mt, respectively.
(Wenhua Consolidated)
