Cobalt

The trends and forces driving the cobalt market

From continued growth in demand and market share for electric vehicles to the build-up of energy storage systems, cobalt is key in the global transformation to new energy sources. But there is a lack of diversity in the supply chain for battery and automakers. Roughly 70% of mined cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo – where the supply and reputational risks for manufacturers are well known – and 70% of cobalt processing occurs in China.

Logistics and shipping disruptions are still a key issue, and high prices for the battery material continue. In response, we’re seeing an even greater need for the recycling of cobalt for electric vehicles.

We provide data-driven insights and analysis to help you understand the market further. From cobalt price data to futures contracts, forecasts to market news, our experts provide you with intelligence on what’s driving the cobalt market.

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What’s happening in the cobalt market?

The structure of the cobalt market is changing as new, more diverse supply is brought to market and ESG considerations come more into focus. Get the latest cobalt news and analysis from our expert price reporters, analysts and researchers.

China’s automotive output and sales both fell in July, on a month-on-month and year-on-year basis, because of reduced seasonal demand in the summer season and the higher base in July 2022, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said this week

An oversupply of cobalt and a subsequent price slump have led to trader and producer Glencore considering stockpiling and curtailing production of the blue metal, the company said during its earnings call on Tuesday August 8

Brazilian miner Vale has signed a binding agreement with Manara Minerals of Saudi Arabia under which the latter will buy a stake in Vale Base Metals (VBM), the holding entity for the South American company’s Energy Transition Metals (ETM) business, it announced on Thursday July 27

Tata Group announced this week that it is to invest £4 billion ($5.2 billion) in a 40GW battery cell ‘gigafactory’ in the UK – producing both lithium and cobalt-based batteries for car manufacturers in the UK and across Europe

Higher prices for cobalt metal have led to increased interest for assays of lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) black mass in Asia, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 12

China’s State Reserve Bureau (SRB) is planning to purchase a large volume of cobalt metal for its stockpile, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 5

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