Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) leading copper and cobalt producers have had some orders for key leaching chemicals cancelled or withdrawn by suppliers this month, forcing miners to cut usage and consider output reductions as Middle East-linked supply disruptions deepen, industry sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The DRC is the world’s top cobalt producer and Africa’s largest copper supplier, making it a key plank in global supply chains for electric vehicles and the clean-energy transition.
Copper and cobalt mining in the country depend heavily on sulfuric acid and sulfur-based chemicals such as sodium metabisulfite (SMBS), supplies of which have been hit by shipping turmoil linked to the Iran war.
Some miners are already feeling the impact.
A 2 000 metric ton SMBS order was cancelled outright, while another 1 800 ton shipment was withdrawn earlier in April after contracts had been signed, a supply chain source said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the commercial sensitivity of contracts.
Miners are cutting chemical consumption to stretch available stocks and considering reducing cobalt production, the source and Mining Chemicals Supply Chain Consultant Isabel Ramirez said.
Producing off-spec cobalt is another option, though not ideal.
The sources declined to name the companies affected, but one referenced the three biggest operators in the DRC, China’s CMOC, Glencore and Eurasian Resources Group.
–Reuters–
