KINSHASA, April 20 – Eurasian Resources Group expects only a limited recovery in cobalt production in the Democratic Republic of Congo after deliberately slashing output in 2025 in response to government export controls.
The company reduced cobalt hydroxide production by about 70% last year, bringing output down to 5,700 metric tons from 19,000 tons in 2024, as Congo imposed a temporary export ban before shifting to a quota system aimed at stabilising prices.
While ERG plans to double production in 2026 compared with 2025 levels, the increase represents only a partial rebound, with volumes still expected to remain well below pre-restriction levels.
Congo, which accounts for the majority of global cobalt supply, has tightened oversight of the sector through quotas and the creation of a strategic reserve, reshaping supply dynamics for the battery metal used in electric vehicles.
ERG has been allocated a 2026 export quota of 12,325 tons of cobalt metal, including unused volumes rolled over from late 2025. It operates alongside major competitors such as CMOC Group and Glencore in the country’s mining sector.
Despite the cobalt cutback, ERG reported growth in copper production in Congo, supported by expansion projects including the Frontier mine, with further increases expected this year.
The company’s African operations, anchored in copper and cobalt, are playing a growing role in its earnings, even as its Central Asian assets remain the primary contributor.
