ERG expects limited Congo cobalt hydroxide output recovery after deliberate 2025 cut

Published: Apr 20, 2026 16:15
Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) stated on Monday that it voluntarily reduced its cobalt hydroxide production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2025 amid the country’s export ban and quota system, and only plans a partial recovery in output in 2026. ERG slashed its cobalt hydroxide production by 70% in 2025, down to 5,700 metric tons from 19,000 tons in 2024, and intends to double its cobalt output in 2026 compared with 2025. Its 2026 export quota in the DRC, including unused volumes from the fourth quarter of 2025, totals 12,325 metric tons of cobalt metal. Data shows that due to earlier front-loaded exports, the DRC exported only 48,800 metric tons of cobalt in the first quarter of 2026, much lower than the 123,000 tons recorded in the same period of 2025.

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