DRC ARECOMS Decision No. 004/2025 – Cobalt Quota System

Country / jurisdiction: Democratic Republic of the Congo · Year: 2025 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

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.

Official source: https://surveillance.cd/2025/09/22/cobalt-larecoms-durcit-le-ton-avec-une-prorogation-de-la-suspension-et-limposition-dune-politique-stricte-de-quotas/