Cobalt production in low-income countries in 2024 — 203,379 t. Since 1995, the indicator has risen by 12,078.4%.
1995–2024 · tonnes
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries
| Year | t | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 203,379 | +60,041 | +41.89% |
| 2023 | 143,338 | +24,667 | +20.79% |
| 2022 | 118,671 | +23,527 | +24.73% |
| 2021 | 95,144 | +7,720 | +8.83% |
| 2020 | 87,424 | +6,563 | +8.12% |
| 2019 | 80,861 | −31,394 | −27.97% |
| 2018 | 112,254 | +18,882 | +20.22% |
| 2017 | 93,372 | +20,534 | +28.19% |
| 2016 | 72,838 | −15,562 | −17.6% |
| 2015 | 88,400 | +8,526 | +10.67% |
| 2014 | 79,875 | +903 | +1.14% |
| 2013 | 78,972 | −8,061 | −9.26% |
| 2012 | 87,033 | −12,942 | −12.95% |
| 2011 | 99,975 | +15,805 | +18.78% |
| 2010 | 84,170 | +28,067 | +50.03% |
| 2009 | 56,103 | +13,642 | +32.13% |
| 2008 | 42,461 | +17,061 | +67.17% |
| 2007 | 25,400 | −1,700 | −6.27% |
| 2006 | 27,100 | +2,600 | +10.61% |
| 2005 | 24,500 | +4,300 | +21.29% |
| 2004 | 20,200 | +5,400 | +36.49% |
| 2003 | 14,800 | +200 | +1.37% |
| 2002 | 14,600 | +2,600 | +21.67% |
| 2001 | 12,000 | +1,000 | +9.09% |
| 2000 | 11,000 | +4,000 | +57.14% |
| 1999 | 7,000 | +2,000 | +40% |
| 1998 | 5,000 | +1,500 | +42.86% |
| 1997 | 3,500 | +1,500 | +75% |
| 1996 | 2,000 | +330 | +19.76% |
| 1995 | 1,670 | — | — |
Cobalt production measured as contained metal, from U.S. Geological Survey data. Cobalt is needed for the cathodes of lithium-ion batteries, and its production is concentrated more tightly than that of any other important metal: more than two-thirds of the world total comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is because of that concentration that battery makers have spent recent years looking for chemistries with a smaller share of cobalt, or none at all.
Important: Cobalt is almost always mined as a by-product — together with copper or nickel — so its volume depends on the market for the main metal and not only on demand for cobalt itself.
Source: Mineral Commodity Summaries (USGS), license Public domain (work of a U.S. federal agency).