cobalt

An initiative to repeal Colorado's constitutional right to abortion failed to secure enough signatures for the 2026 ballot. Cobalt, a reproductive rights organization, reported increased out-of-state demand for abortion care in Colorado and noted federal efforts to restrict abortion access, including statements from acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.

The UN is helping countries optimize the use of critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper amid rising global demand driven by the transition to clean energy.

The WTO warns that surging demand for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and rare earths is driving conflict in resource-rich regions such as Congo and Sudan, where illegal mining fuels violence. However, the organization highlights an opportunity for these nations to leverage their mineral wealth for economic transformation through local processing, strengthened international law, and cooperative strategies to avoid being locked into low-value production.

The WTO warns that rising global demand for critical minerals like lithium and cobalt risks fueling conflict in resource-rich regions, particularly in Africa, but also presents an opportunity for economic transformation if managed through local processing and international cooperation. The UN highlights how mineral exploitation in Congo and Sudan has exacerbated violence, while urging resource-rich nations to leverage their reserves for inclusive growth.

DR Congo's finance minister ordered the removal of seals on Glencore's Kamoto Copper Company offices amid a multibillion-dollar tax dispute. President Félix Tshisekedi emphasized avoiding heavy-handed measures to protect investor confidence, while the government and Glencore continue negotiations. The tax authority claims Glencore owes billions, which the company disputes.

The U.S. and DRC signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement in December 2025 granting preferential access to minerals like cobalt, copper, coltan, and lithium in exchange for security cooperation. A coalition of Congolese lawyers petitioned the Constitutional Court on 21 June 2025 to invalidate the agreement, claiming it was never submitted to the court.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has set annual cobalt export quotas at 96,600 metric tons for 2026 and 2027, which is less than half of the 2024 output. Chinese state-owned enterprises control about 80% of the DRC’s cobalt output and up to 90% of global refining capacity. Exporters are required to make royalty pre-payments.

The global mining industry claims increased extraction of rare earth minerals is necessary to address climate change, but a new report highlights that demand is primarily driven by conventional industries, AI, and defense sectors. The rush to mine copper, lithium, cobalt, and other critical minerals is being fueled by these sectors rather than solely climate-related needs.

The AI boom is driving increased demand for turbine blades and vanes used in aircraft engines and gas turbines powering data centers. Four specialized manufacturers—Howmet Aerospace, Precision Castparts, Consolidated Precision Products, and Doncasters Group—dominate Western production, benefiting from high technical barriers, long lead times, and pricing power, though expansion risks include material shortages and past industry downturns.

A US-backed $753m railway project from Angola to Congo highlights competition between Washington, Africa, a Lusophone builder, and China over critical metals like cobalt. The project is positioned as a strategic move to counter China's influence in the region.

Angola's Lobito railway has received fresh funding as the United States and China compete for control over Africa's cobalt and copper resources. This competition has implications for global supply chains and Latin America.

The DR Congo economy is projected to become Africa's eighth-largest in 2026, surpassing Ghana due to a boom in cobalt and copper production.

Congo's strict new cobalt quotas are limiting cobalt exports, prompting miners to shift focus to copper. This shift is directing copper toward Western buyers amid declining prices.

The Trump administration supported Virtus Minerals in developing cobalt and copper mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking the first U.S. rare earth minerals acquisition in the country since the Washington Accord. The initiative aims to counter China's dominance in critical minerals and establish a secure supply chain for the U.S. and allies.

Petrobras, Brazil's oil company, has partnered with the state development bank to research critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earths. The move marks a shift into battery metals and materials essential for wind turbines and electronics.

Brazilian Nickel is seeking an anchor investor for a $1.4bn nickel and cobalt mine in Brazil. The project represents a test of Western efforts to secure battery metals outside of China.

Spotify found Google Cloud's Arm-based Axion processors delivered 250% better performance for its recommendation engine. Major hyperscalers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google are adopting Arm-based processors (e.g., Graviton, Cobalt, Axion) for improved price-performance and energy efficiency, with Neoverse architecture enabling custom silicon for cloud and AI workloads.

DR Congo's restrictions on cobalt have caused a shortage, leading Chinese smelters to seek alternatives. The scarcity of this critical battery material is impacting supply chains.

Two telecom tower companies are investing over $200 million in DR Congo's mobile infrastructure, driven by rising data demand and mining sector needs. The country's underdeveloped telecom market, with 110 million people and low mobile penetration, is attracting foreign capital as African internet data consumption is projected to quadruple in five years.

Scientists discovered unexpected quantum complexity in cobalt, revealing topological electronic states that function at room temperature and can be controlled with magnetism. This breakthrough could advance next-generation computing and spin-based devices.

Mining activities in sub-Saharan Africa are causing large-scale deforestation of dense tropical forests, with key energy transition minerals like cobalt driving the environmental impact.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeking deals with cobalt producers to address illegal mining issues. Artisanal miners are currently carrying out mining operations near Kolwezi. The move aims to tackle illicit mining activities.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is planning to establish a paramilitary unit for its mines, funded by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The initiative targets artisanal cobalt and copper mines in Kolwezi, a region critical for mineral extraction.

Channel Seven’s Spotlight program aired a controversial investigation claiming Australia’s shift from fossil fuels to clean energy is morally bankrupt, highlighting exploitative cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The article criticizes the program for ignoring factual accuracy and journalistic standards, portraying the renewable energy transition as harmful to rainforests and reliant on China.