DRC Cobalt Reference Price Falls 3.25% to US$32,826 a Tonne
The cobalt reference price in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s weekly mineral price schedule fell by 3.25% to US$32,826 a tonne for 9–14 November 2026, down from US$33,930 in the preceding period.
The US$1,104 decline accompanied lower reference prices for copper, nickel, tin and gold, although several other mineral products recorded gains.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Trade’s weekly price schedule, copper declined from US$14,485.10 to US$14,338.80 a tonne, a reduction of US$146.30, or approximately 1.01%.
The figures are reference values reported in the weekly schedule and should not be interpreted as the price received under every export contract.
Nickel, tin and gold also retreat
Nickel recorded a sharper percentage decline than cobalt, falling approximately 3.42% from US$13,973.35 to US$13,495.04 a tonne.
Tin decreased from US$50,883.20 to US$50,163 a tonne, representing a decline of approximately 1.42%.
Gold eased from US$131.01 to US$129.59 per gram, down approximately 1.08%.
The movements show a broadly weaker week for several mineral products exported by the DRC, although the direction of prices varied across commodities.
Germanium and zinc move higher
Germanium registered a substantial increase, rising from US$14,151.20 to US$15,827 per kilogram an advance of approximately 11.84%.
Zinc increased from US$3,860.05 to US$3,922.35 a tonne, gaining approximately 1.61%.
Niobium concentrate also strengthened, moving from US$6,367.84 to US$6,454.19 a tonne, an increase of approximately 1.36%.
The contrasting movements underline the importance of assessing each mineral separately rather than treating the weekly decline in cobalt and copper as a uniform trend across the sector.
For producers and exporters, changes in reference prices provide an indication of market direction.
Their effect on actual earnings also depends on sales volumes, product quality and contractual pricing terms.
About the Author
