The Democratic Republic of Congo has produced its first 1,000 tons of fully traceable artisanal cobalt, marking a major step toward formalizing the country’s informal mining sector and improving transparency in global mineral supply chains. The announcement was reported by Reuters, which said the milestone reflects efforts to address long-standing concerns around child labor, unsafe mining conditions, and opaque sourcing practices in artisanal cobalt production.
The pilot output was delivered under Congo’s new traceability framework, which requires that all artisanal cobalt be mined, transported, and sold under regulated conditions that allow buyers to verify its origin. Authorities say the initiative is designed to reassure global battery and electric-vehicle manufacturers seeking ethically sourced minerals.
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Officials from the state regulator overseeing the sector said the traceable output demonstrates that artisanal miners can participate responsibly in global markets when given proper oversight. They noted that the government aims to expand the program to additional sites in the coming months to raise production volumes and ensure greater compliance.
Congo supplies more than 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, and analysts highlighted in Reuters coverage that establishing a reliable traceability system could strengthen the country’s leverage in the clean-energy supply chain, while improving livelihoods for thousands of artisanal miners.
The first 1,000-ton batch is expected to be sold to international buyers later this year, with authorities positioning the initiative as a model for responsible mineral sourcing across Africa.
