Cobalt Shortages Driven by Congo Curbs Seen Lasting Through 2030

A global cobalt shortage will persist through 2030 due to sustained export restrictions from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the world’s top producer, according to commodity analysts. The curbs are disrupting supply chains critical for electric vehicle batteries, electronics, and quantum hardware, exacerbating existing shortages in high-tech manufacturing sectors. Trading house Darton Commodities warns the constraints will delay production timelines for industries reliant on cobalt, including quantum computing components like superconducting qubits and magnetic sensors. Alternative sourcing efforts, such as synthetic cobalt or mining in other regions, remain insufficient to bridge the gap, prolonging dependency on unstable supply channels. The prolonged shortage may accelerate research into cobalt-free technologies, particularly in quantum materials science, where substitutes like nickel or iron-based alloys are being explored.