Congo's copper exports increased by 10% last year, while cobalt exports fell by nearly 80%.

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The Democratic Republic of Congo’s copper exports in 2025 will rise nearly 10% year-on-year to 3.4 million tons, further consolidating its position as the world’s second largest copper producer, just behind Chile. This growth is mainly driven by expansion at mines led by foreign companies, providing a crucial buffer for the global copper market facing supply pressures.

According to preliminary data released by the Congolese government at the Cape Town Mining Conference, the country’s copper exports will increase from 3.1 million tons in 2024 to 3.4 million tons in 2025. Foreign mining companies account for most of its copper output, with the Tenke Fungurume mine and the Kisanfu project producing 519,000 tons and 228,000 tons respectively throughout the year.

Capacity expansion is injecting supply into the tight global copper market. In the past year, copper prices have risen 40% cumulatively and broke through $14,500/ton at the end of January 2026, reaching a historic high. The price surge is fueled by frequent mine accidents and operational disruptions worldwide, combined with a structural surge in demand driven by clean energy transition and artificial intelligence development.

In sharp contrast, Congo’s cobalt exports in 2025 plummeted nearly 80% to 44,500 tons, mainly due to the government implementing an export ban from February and switching to a strict export quota system in October. This policy change coincides with the US seeking to reduce reliance on a single supply source through key mineral cooperation agreements, as Congo’s cobalt industry faces dual adjustments in geopolitical landscape and market rules.

Chinese companies lead copper production in Congo

Chinese enterprises are deeply involved in Congo’s copper mining. Congo’s Ministry of Mining data shows that China Molybdenum operates the country’s first and third largest copper mines; the Kamoa-Kakula mine, a joint venture between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining, ranks second and will produce 400,000 tons of copper in 2025.

Ivanhoe Mines founder and co-chairman Robert Friedland stated this week

“Congo will become the world's leader in copper output.”

Chile remains firmly at the top of the global copper producer rankings with an estimated annual output of 5.3 million tons according to the US Geological Survey. However, Congo’s ranking has risen rapidly in recent years, overtaking Peru and China, and its contribution to global supply has more than doubled over the past decade.

Supply shortages drive copper prices to new highs

The steady release of Congo’s output provides a crucial buffer for the global copper market struggling with supply disruptions. Over the past year, frequent global mine accidents and operational obstacles, coupled with difficulties in launching new projects, contrast sharply with structural demand expansion driven by energy transition and the rise of artificial intelligence.

With supply tightness, copper prices have risen 40% over the past 12 months, breaking through $14,500/ton at the end of January to reach historic highs. The market expects copper demand to stay on a long-term growth trajectory, driven by continued expansion of clean energy and high-tech industries.

Congo is also the world’s largest cobalt supplier, a key material for electric vehicle batteries and aerospace defense. However, in 2025 its cobalt exports plunged nearly 80% to 44,500 tons. The primary cause is sudden policy changes, with the government imposing an export ban in February and switching to strict quota management in October.

As copper and cobalt are often co-mined in Congo, drastic shifts in cobalt export policy have had a significant impact on the global supply chain. The trajectories of these two strategic minerals are showing increasingly distinct divergence.

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