Congo SLAMS the door on copper & cobalt concentrate exports
In a hardline escalation of its resource nationalism drive, the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially banned the export of copper concentrate and cobalt concentrate — forcing miners to process more of the minerals inside the country or risk losing access to global markets.
The order, dated June 29 and signed by Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, and Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba, leaves no ambiguity:
“The export of copper and cobalt concentrates is prohibited.”
Critical details:
- Ban takes effect immediately
- One-year export waivers possible — but only under “strategic” circumstances
- New tax regime imposed on economically significant mining by-products (3-month transition period)
Congo is the world’s largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper supplier. The decision directly hits major operators including CMOC, Glencore, Huayou Cobalt, Zijin Mining, Ivanhoe Mines, and Eurasian Resources Group.
This is not the first attempt — previous bans in 2013, 2019, and 2023 were often softened with exemptions. This time, the government is closing the loopholes and pushing harder to keep value-addition at home.
Source: Official government order reviewed by Reuters.