Glencore’s cobalt output declines sharply as it shifts to a copper-prioritized strategy

Published: Apr 30, 2026 07:00
In Q1 2026, Glencore’s own-sourced cobalt production for the quarter totaled 5,800 tonnes, down 39% year on year, with the majority—around 5,100 tonnes—coming from the KCC and Mutanda operations in the DRC. Notably, Mutanda produced no cobalt during the quarter, compared with approximately 2,900 tonnes in the same period last year. The primary driver of this decline was a strategic shift in response to quota constraints: with existing cobalt inventories sufficient to meet near-term export quotas, Glencore prioritized reallocating resources toward copper production, thereby suppressing cobalt output. At the same time, the company refrained from providing full-year cobalt production guidance, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty associated with the quota policy.

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