DRC ARECOMS Decision No. 004/2025 – Cobalt Quota System
On 20 September 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Regulatory and Control Authority for Strategic Mineral Substances (ARECOMS) issued Decision n°004/ARECOMS/2025, extending the suspension of cobalt exports until 15 October 2025. This suspension applies to all cobalt produced by industrial, semi-industrial, small-scale and artisanal mining operations. Starting 16 October 2025, a quota-based export system will be implemented to regulate outbound cobalt volumes. The quota allocations are as follows:
- October 2025: 3 625 tonnes
- November 2025: 7 250 tonnes
- December 2025: 7 250 tonnes
- 2026 total: 96 600 tonnes
- Base quota: 87 000 tonnes (7 250 tonnes/month)
- Strategic quota: 9 600 tonnes (Note: The strategic quota is allocated to ARECOMS and upon its sole discretion used for projects of national strategic importance)
- 2027 total: Same as 2026, subject to quarterly adjustments
Quotas will be distributed pro rata based on historical export volumes, with exceptions granted to the state-owned entity Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) and Société pour le Traitement du Terril de Lubumbashi (STL). Companies are excluded from the quota system if they:
- exported less than 100 tonnes in 2024 (excluding EGC)
- operate refineries without mining activity in the past five years; or
- possess depleted cobalt reserves.
ARECOMS retains discretionary authority over the strategic quota and has the right to buy back excess cobalt stocks and withdraw quotas from companies that process third-party or artisanal cobalt (except EGC/STL) or violate regulatory provisions. The decision also introduces regulation and control fees, a prepayment system for state contributions, and a new export formalities framework.
The Decision is to remain in force until further notice and may be revised by ARECOMS depending on market conditions, domestic policy priorities, or strategic considerations.
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