The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has banned the exports of both copper and cobalt concentrates, according to a government order reported by Reuters, as the country doubles down on efforts to grow domestic processing and ensure that value creation happens domestically.
Reuters reports that the order was signed by Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, and Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba.
Alongside the ban of all copper and cobalt concentrate exports, the order also introduces a new tax regime for economically significant mining by-products.
The ban is effective immediately, but comes with one-year export waivers that may be granted under strategic circumstances.
The order comes as the DRC, among many other African nations, seeks to retain more value from its mineral wealth. The shift to grow Africa’s downstream industries is gathering pace, especially as the demand for critical minerals grows.
The DRC is the largest cobalt supplier globally, and also holds a vast amount of other critical minerals, including copper.
Similar bans have been imposed previously in 2013, 2019, and 2023, with the country granting waivers when domestic smelting capacity was insufficient.
The latest order replaces the one from 2023 with a broader framework around critical mineral exports, and adds in the new taxation regime for economically significant mining by-products.
Reuters reports that the DRC typically exports copper as a refined metal, with 696,725 tonnes of copper cathodes exported in Q1 2026. Exports of copper concentrates for the same period were 53,926 tonnes.
Following news of the ban, benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose by 1.8% to US$14,369.50 per metric tonne, the highest level since 29 January 2026.
The ban has the potential to hit major operators including CMOC Group (SHA:603993), Glencore (LON:GLEN), Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN), Zijin Mining (HKG:2899), Eurasian Resources Group, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt (SHA:603799), and the state-owned Gécamines, all operating within the copper and cobalt space in the DRC.
According to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, since 2023, over 13 African countries have enacted export restrictions, focusing on value-added processing to capture greater economic value prior to export.
The DRC’s latest ban underscores a broader continental shift toward resource nationalism and downstream development, signalling that African governments are increasingly willing to intervene to capture more value for their citizens. With critical minerals demand surging, policy momentum is unlikely to slow and African critical minerals policies will continue to drive industry growth.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Ivanhoe Mines
