The Democratic Republic of Congo has prohibited the export of copper and cobalt concentrates as the mineral-rich country moves to expand local processing and retain a larger share of revenue from its natural resources.
The ban took effect immediately under a government order signed on June 29 by Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya and Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba.
The order states that “the export of copper and cobalt concentrates is prohibited,” although authorities may grant exemptions lasting up to one year in unspecified strategic circumstances.
The government also introduced a new tax framework covering economically significant mining by-products, with a three-month transition period for affected operators.
The policy is part of President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration’s broader push to encourage mining companies to process minerals within the country instead of exporting concentrates for refining elsewhere.
The government said the measure was driven by “the need to encourage mining operators to market or export commercial mineral products with high added value.”
DR Congo is the world’s largest supplier of cobalt and one of the leading sources of copper and other minerals considered crucial to the global energy transition.
The new policy has already had an impact on copper prices. Following reports of the export ban, three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange climbed as much as 1.8% to $14,369.50 per metric tonne, its highest level since January 29.
DR Congo has previously introduced similar restrictions on copper and cobalt concentrates, including in 2013, 2019 and 2023. Previous measures allowed exemptions when domestic processing capacity was considered insufficient.
The latest order repeals the 2023 framework and its existing exemptions, replacing them with broader rules covering mineral exports and taxation of mining by-products.
The country already exports most of its copper as refined metal. Official figures show that DR Congo shipped 696,725 tonnes of copper cathodes in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 53,926 tonnes of copper concentrates containing 18,863 tonnes of copper metal.
During the same period, the country exported 51,940 tonnes of cobalt hydroxides containing 17,054 tonnes of cobalt.
Mining analyst Christian-Geraud Neema of the China-Global South Project said the new restrictions were unlikely to significantly disrupt most producers because much of DR Congo’s copper and cobalt is already processed domestically.
He identified Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula copper operation as potentially more exposed because the mine has continued exporting some concentrate under previous exemptions.
Kamoa-Kakula is jointly operated by Ivanhoe Mines, China’s Zijin Mining and the Congolese government.
Ivanhoe said the operation had received several exemptions allowing it to export copper concentrate since production began in 2021. It added that concentrate from the mine is currently processed at its on-site smelter or at the Lualaba copper smelter in Kolwezi.
The company also said the Kipushi Mine has an exemption permitting the export of zinc concentrates.
Under the new tax regime, trace and ultra-trace minerals recovered during refining will be subject to taxation based on a 55% valuation coefficient, in addition to royalties applied to the main mineral being produced.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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