Congo sees no major threat from Middle East crisis to copper, cobalt output

A senior official from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ministry of Mines said that although the conflict in the Middle East had previously disrupted sulfuric acid supply chains and raised concerns over copper and cobalt production, no significant impact on the country's overall copper and cobalt output has been observed so far. Copper and cobalt production is therefore expected to remain broadly stable throughout 2026. Earlier, the conflict between the United States and Iran disrupted supplies of sulfuric acid, a key reagent used in copper and cobalt production. At the same time, Zambia, a major supplier of sulfuric acid to the DRC, restricted exports to prioritize domestic demand, prompting some Congolese mining companies to assess the possibility of production cuts.

Official data showed that the DRC exported 823,887 tonnes of copper in the first quarter of 2026, up 4.8% year-on-year. Exports of cobalt hydroxide reached 51,940 tonnes (equivalent to approximately 17,054 tonnes of contained cobalt), an increase of 24.5% from a year earlier. Gold exports totalled 6.3 tonnes, valued at US$732 million, highlighting the continued strength of the country's mining exports. During the first quarter of 2026, **CMOC** remained the DRC's largest mineral exporter, while **Glencore** was also a major contributor to the country's copper and cobalt exports.

The Ministry of Mines expects copper demand to remain robust and mining operations to stay stable in the coming months. In addition, most mining companies have secured long-term contracts for chemical supplies, maintain strategic inventories, or source chemicals from regional suppliers, limiting the risk of widespread production cuts. However, if supply chain disruptions persist, miners may still face higher production costs and longer lead times for the delivery of key chemicals.