According to the Cobalt Institute study, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has emerged as Africa’s top cobalt-producing country, accounting for over 70% of the global supply in 2022.
The study reveals that other African nations also made it onto the ranking. Madagascar secured the second spot, surpassing Morocco, which hosts Africa’s sole cobalt-exclusive mine.
Zambia and South Africa complete the African top five, as cobalt production in these countries is a by-product of mining activities focused on metals like copper and nickel.
When it comes to cobalt refining, China dominates the global market, contributing to 76% of the total refined production in 2022, up from 74% in the previous year.
Despite being the leader in mining production, the DRC ranks 7th globally in cobalt refining, accounting for only 1% of the total supply. Madagascar surpasses the DRC with a 2% share, while Morocco follows closely with 1%.
Indonesia is now the world´s second largest cobalt producer – Madagascar is not important