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Cobalt production — all countries

Cobalt production — Lower-middle-income countries

Cobalt production in lower-middle-income countries in 2024 — 8,865 t. Since 1995, the indicator has risen by 155.6%.

2024 8,865 t −6.54% vs 2023
World rank —
Period maximum 13,902 t2016
Period minimum 3,468 t1995

Trend over time

1995–2024 · tonnes

Cobalt production — Lower-middle-income countries, 1995–202405,00010,00015,000199519982001200420072010201320162019202220241995: 3,468 t1996: 5,394 t1997: 4,742 t1998: 5,248 t1999: 5,241 t2000: 3,844 t2001: 5,424 t2002: 5,443 t2003: 4,702 t2004: 7,782 t2005: 7,429 t2006: 8,158 t2007: 7,490 t2008: 7,513 t2009: 9,889 t2010: 13,858 t2011: 11,862 t2012: 10,604 t2013: 11,732 t2014: 13,446 t2015: 12,034 t2016: 13,902 t2017: 13,083 t2018: 11,421 t2019: 10,774 t2020: 10,566 t2021: 9,326 t2022: 9,583 t2023: 9,486 t2024: 8,865 t
Change over the period: +5,397 (+155.62%) Average annual rate: 3.29 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lower-middle-income countries

Lower-middle-income countries 8,865 t
World 270,816 t
Cobalt production — Lower-middle-income countries, by year Lower-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year t Change Change, %
2024 8,865 −620 −6.54%
2023 9,486 −97 −1.02%
2022 9,583 +257 +2.76%
2021 9,326 −1,240 −11.73%
2020 10,566 −208 −1.94%
2019 10,774 −647 −5.67%
2018 11,421 −1,662 −12.7%
2017 13,083 −819 −5.89%
2016 13,902 +1,868 +15.52%
2015 12,034 −1,412 −10.5%
2014 13,446 +1,714 +14.61%
2013 11,732 +1,128 +10.64%
2012 10,604 −1,258 −10.61%
2011 11,862 −1,996 −14.4%
2010 13,858 +3,969 +40.14%
2009 9,889 +2,376 +31.63%
2008 7,513 +23 +0.31%
2007 7,490 −668 −8.19%
2006 8,158 +729 +9.81%
2005 7,429 −353 −4.54%
2004 7,782 +3,080 +65.5%
2003 4,702 −741 −13.61%
2002 5,443 +19 +0.35%
2001 5,424 +1,580 +41.1%
2000 3,844 −1,397 −26.66%
1999 5,241 −7 −0.13%
1998 5,248 +506 +10.67%
1997 4,742 −652 −12.09%
1996 5,394 +1,926 +55.54%
1995 3,468 — —

About the indicator

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).

Other indicators for lower-middle-income countries

Mining Graphite production

How much natural graphite is mined in the world — the anode material of lithium-ion batteries.

Lower-middle-income countries by year
All indicators for lower-middle-income countries