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Cobalt (heading 8105): top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in cobalt (heading 8105) totaled $5.6 billion (735 thousand tonnes). The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounted for 54% of exports, followed by the United States (8%) and Canada (5%); China accounted for 58% of imports, followed by the United States (7%) and Japan (3%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 14%.

Summary

World trade
$5.6billion
Tonnes
735thousand tonnes
Price per tonne
$7,605
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. Democratic Republic of the Congo$3.1 billion · 54.5%
  2. United States$446 million · 8%
  3. Canada$299 million · 5.3%
  4. China$194 million · 3.5%
  5. United Kingdom$194 million · 3.5%
  6. Japan$158 million · 2.8%
  7. Germany$139 million · 2.5%
  8. Norway$123 million · 2.2%
  9. Finland$117 million · 2.1%
  10. Australia$113 million · 2%
  11. Madagascar$84 million · 1.5%
  12. Belgium$77 million · 1.4%
    re-exports
  13. France$76 million · 1.4%
  14. Morocco$64 million · 1.1%
  15. Netherlands$55 million · 0.98%
    re-exports
  16. Philippines$46 million · 0.83%
  17. Malaysia$43 million · 0.77%
  18. South Africa$34 million · 0.61%
  19. Russia$30 million · 0.54%
  20. Republic of the Congo$30 million · 0.53%

Top importers

  1. China$3.3 billion · 58.4%
  2. United States$404 million · 7.2%
  3. Japan$186 million · 3.3%
  4. Germany$158 million · 2.8%
  5. United Kingdom$156 million · 2.8%
  6. Netherlands$153 million · 2.7%
    re-exports
  7. Belgium$129 million · 2.3%
    re-exports
  8. Taiwan$127 million · 2.3%
  9. France$111 million · 2%
  10. Ireland$101 million · 1.8%
  11. South Korea$95 million · 1.7%
  12. Malaysia$94 million · 1.7%
  13. India$89 million · 1.6%
  14. Singapore$64 million · 1.1%
    re-exports
  15. Italy$46 million · 0.83%
  16. Norway$41 million · 0.73%
  17. Austria$39 million · 0.69%
  18. Switzerland$38 million · 0.68%
  19. Brazil$34 million · 0.61%
  20. Canada$34 million · 0.61%

Trend

Who sells it

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the top exporter since 2010

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo 3.1
  • United States 0.45
  • Canada 0.3
  • China 0.19
  • United Kingdom 0.19

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
Democratic Republic of the Congo0.193.1
United States0.080.45
Canada0.210.3
China0.010.19
United Kingdom0.080.19

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne fell 84% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $7,605

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$46,148
1996$45,659
1997$43,424
1998$39,351
1999$26,758
2000$27,341
2001$21,260
2002$13,517
2003$16,091
2004$37,036
2005$23,895
2006$24,970
2007$38,213
2008$39,618
2009$19,842
2010$19,363
2011$17,499
2012$13,322
2013$11,412
2014$12,780
2015$11,722
2016$23,451
2017$16,800
2018$25,256
2019$11,424
2020$11,474
2021$17,922
2022$20,607
2023$10,486
2024$7,605

What it includes

  • 8105 · Cobalt

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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