Battery supply could be affected by DRC instability, page-3

Cobalt price high as DRC supply issues are dragging onThe landlocked DRC is a global giant when it comes to production of the key battery metal.The DRC produced 120,000 tonnes of cobalt in 2021, accounting for +70% of global output.It’s where China – the world’s biggest consumer by far — gets ~90% of its supply.But these cobalt shipments have been interrupted, exacerbating an already stressed supply situation.A fall in China’s cobalt imports in July 2021 due to ongoing issues at Durban port in South Africa — a key export channel for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) supply – has intensified in 2022.Under normal conditions, land delivery by truck from DRC to the Durban port in South Africa usually took less than 20 days, market sources told Fastmarkets.But now deliveries are taking 30 days or more. A scarcity of containers and delayed shipments have made the whole process even longer, they said.“I don’t think the logistics issues from South Africa to China will ease in the first quarter or even the first half of 2022,” a cobalt hydroxide supplier said. Article from * today.
COB secure long term supply from primary resource looking attractive in the future as demand grows in coming years IMO.