Why does Congo have a near monopoly in Cobalt extraction? Is all the Cobalt in the world really only in Congo? Or is it something else? Congo produces 80% of the global cobalt supply. Why only Congo? Is the entirety of cobalt located ONLY in Congo?

Question

Why does Congo have a near monopoly in Cobalt extraction? Is all the Cobalt in the world really only in Congo? Or is it something else? Congo produces 80% of the global cobalt supply. Why only Congo? Is the entirety of cobalt located ONLY in Congo?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

Speaking as a geologist- cobalt is a product of nickel and copper mining. But not all copper deposits contain cobalt. They have to have formed a certain way. The Central African copper belt, in Zambia and the DRC is one of the largest copper provinces in the world that formed in the way to allow mineralization of cobalt too. Then add in the DRC’s lack of good regulations compared to Zambia and you get a country that exports cobalt. 14-40% of cobalt is artisanaly mined.