Infographic

Cobalt in numbers

Cobalt (Co) drawn as one poster: 310 kt of world mine production in 2025, DR Congo the largest producer, 9 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025CobaltCoBattery mineral · symbol CoCobalt is used in battery cathodes (NMC and NCA chemistries), superalloys for jet engines, hardmetals, catalysts and magnets. It is mostly mined as a by-product of copper and nickel.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 2025310 ktCo content. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: DR CONGO74%230 kt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 202512 MtLargest in DR Congo (6.0 Mt). Co content.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS9Current government critical or strategic lists namingcobalt, across 8 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS91%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202579%PRICE 202533,100 $/tTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where cobalt comes fromDR Congo230 kt74%Indonesia44 kt14%Russia7.7 kt2.5%Madagascar3.9 kt1.3%Australia3.7 kt1.2%Philippines3.7 kt1.2%Canada3.5 kt1.1%Papua New Guinea2.8 kt0.9%China2.0 kt0.6%Cuba2.0 kt0.6%Mine production, Co content. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.World mine output was about 310 kt in 2025. The Democratic Republic of the Congo produced about 230kt (about 74%), Indonesia about 44 kt from nickel laterite processing, then Russia, Madagascar,Australia, the Philippines and Canada at under 8 kt each. Reserves are about 12 Mt, half in the DRC.Refining is mainly in China. Mining concentration (HHI about 5,700) is among the highest of anymetal.1901–2021A century of cobalt production0.00 t50 kt100 kt150 kt200 kt190119181935195219701987200420212021: 164 kt1901: 180 tWorld production, USGS column 'World mine production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES12 countries reported cobalt output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.DEMAND BY END USE 2025What cobalt is used for259 ktTOTAL DEMAND 2025Electric vehicles32%Battery storage2.3%Other uses65%IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026, Co content; total demand (CC BY 4.0).TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest cobalt trade routesDR Congo → China$3.0 bnNorway → United States$85 mAustralia → Other Asia$71 mFinland → Japan$58 mMadagascar → United States$48 mHS 810520: Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products; unwrought cobalt; powders. World trade $4.7 bn in 2024.Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025European Union: strategic 2024United Kingdom (BGS): critical 2024Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024United States (DOE): critical 2023India: critical 2023South Korea: strategic 2023China: strategic 2016EXPORT CONTROLSDR Congo: export prohibition from 2025, export quota from 2025. Source: OECD export restrictions inventory andgovernment notices, as recorded in our data.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Cobalt infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, demand by end use, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
310 kt (Co content) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
DR Congo, 230 kt (74% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
91% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
12 Mt (Co content), largest in DR Congo USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
9 current lists in 8 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, China, European Union, United Kingdom, India, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
79% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
33,100 $/t (Price, average, dollars per pound: London Metal Exchange (LME), cash) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1901
180 t (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2021 (historical series)
164 kt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest end use, 2025
Other uses: 65% of 259 kt total demand IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0)
Demand outlook, IEA STEPS 2030
305 kt (+18% on 2025) IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0)
Largest trade flow, 2024
DR Congo → China, $3.0 bn (HS 810520, Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products; unwrought cobalt; powders); world trade $4.7 bn CEPII BACI trade database
Export controls
DR Congo (export prohibition, export quota)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 (CC BY 4.0) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Cobalt storyWhere cobalt is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics