Congo’s Copper Output Jumps as Cobalt Production Falls, Exposing Battery Supply Risks
In the first half of 2026, major miner Glencore increased copper production in the Democratic Republic of Congo while its cobalt output dropped sharply. The shift at one of the world’s main sources of both metals raises questions for electric-vehicle and battery supply chains that depend on Congolese mines.
A sharp split in mining trends in the Democratic Republic of Congo is sending uneven signals through metals markets tied to electric vehicles and batteries.
Glencore, one of the world’s largest commodity producers, reported that in the first half of 2026 it produced 397,000 tonnes of copper, up 15% year on year. Output from its African assets, including operations in the DRC, rose even faster, jumping 66% to 138,400 tonnes.
By contrast, Glencore’s cobalt production fell 46% to 10,200 tonnes over the same period. The figures highlight how copper and cobalt, often mined together in the DRC, can follow very different paths even within the same corporate portfolio. The company did not provide detailed reasons for the cobalt decline in the data cited.
For mining areas in the DRC, stronger copper output can translate into more local jobs and higher revenues, but the volatility in cobalt shows how exposed communities are to changing demand, investment decisions and operating conditions. In regions where large industrial mines sit alongside smaller, informal operations, shifts in formal production can affect the balance of opportunities and risks in artisanal mining.
From an industrial perspective, the split pulls in two directions. Copper is essential for power grids, electric motors and renewable energy infrastructure, so higher production in the DRC supports global electrification efforts. Cobalt, however, remains an important component in many high‑performance lithium‑ion batteries. A near‑halving of output from a major producer has implications for future availability and pricing, even as some battery makers move to chemistries that use less or no cobalt.
Strategically, the numbers underline the DRC’s role as both a key provider and a point of vulnerability in global supply chains. The country already accounts for a large share of the world’s mined cobalt and a growing share of copper used in technologies linked to lower‑emission energy systems. When production swings sharply in such a central location — for reasons that can include infrastructure limits, regulatory changes, security issues or governance challenges — the effects can ripple through to factories and markets far beyond central Africa.
For automakers and battery producers, the message is that diversification of supply is still incomplete. Many companies have explored recycling, long‑term contracts outside the DRC or alternative battery chemistries that rely more on other materials, but current production plans often still assume stable or rising Congolese output. A prolonged period of weaker cobalt production could tighten markets and speed the shift toward other technologies, but such adjustments take time and investment.
Governments aiming to expand electric‑vehicle fleets and strengthen power networks also need to factor in these swings. Reliance on a small number of producers in a complex operating environment gives host states and major investors significant leverage over future supplies.
What will matter now is whether cobalt output in the DRC stabilises or keeps falling, and how quickly other producers can respond. Market watchers will look for further guidance from Glencore and other miners on planned production, new processing capacity in Africa, and any policy moves in Kinshasa that might affect mining operations. Signs of additional disruptions — from local unrest to logistical bottlenecks — would increase the risk that today’s divergence between copper and cobalt becomes a broader constraint on battery and energy‑transition plans.
Sources
- OSINT