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Cobalt production — all countries

Cobalt production — Zambia

Cobalt production in Zambia in 2024 — 252 t. Ranked 13 in the world out of 13. Since 1995, the indicator has fallen by 91.4%.

2024 252 t +0% vs 2023
World rank 13of 13
Period maximum 8,648 t2010
Period minimum 247 t2021

Trend over time

1995–2024 · tonnes

Cobalt production — Zambia, 1995–202402,5005,0007,50010,000199519982001200420072010201320162019202220241995: 2,931 t1996: 4,829 t1997: 4,028 t1998: 4,961 t1999: 4,378 t2000: 2,877 t2001: 4,182 t2002: 3,990 t2003: 3,211 t2004: 6,082 t2005: 5,529 t2006: 4,658 t2007: 4,690 t2008: 4,613 t2009: 5,879 t2010: 8,648 t2011: 7,702 t2012: 5,435 t2013: 5,919 t2014: 4,562 t2015: 2,979 t2016: 4,982 t2017: 2,649 t2018: 1,585 t2019: 367 t2020: 287 t2021: 247 t2022: 252 t2023: 252 t2024: 252 t
Change over the period: −2,679 (−91.4%) Average annual rate: -8.11 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Zambia

Zambia 252 t
World 270,816 t
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 204,187 t
Eastern Africa computed 2,852 t
Lower-middle-income countries computed 8,865 t
Cobalt production — Zambia, by year Zambia All countries CSV XLSX
Year t Change Change, %
2024 252 +0 +0%
2023 252 +0 +0%
2022 252 +5 +2.02%
2021 247 −40 −13.94%
2020 287 −80 −21.8%
2019 367 −1,218 −76.85%
2018 1,585 −1,064 −40.16%
2017 2,649 −2,333 −46.83%
2016 4,982 +2,003 +67.24%
2015 2,979 −1,583 −34.7%
2014 4,562 −1,357 −22.93%
2013 5,919 +484 +8.91%
2012 5,435 −2,267 −29.43%
2011 7,702 −946 −10.94%
2010 8,648 +2,769 +47.1%
2009 5,879 +1,266 +27.44%
2008 4,613 −77 −1.64%
2007 4,690 +32 +0.69%
2006 4,658 −871 −15.75%
2005 5,529 −553 −9.09%
2004 6,082 +2,871 +89.41%
2003 3,211 −779 −19.52%
2002 3,990 −192 −4.59%
2001 4,182 +1,305 +45.36%
2000 2,877 −1,501 −34.29%
1999 4,378 −583 −11.75%
1998 4,961 +933 +23.16%
1997 4,028 −801 −16.59%
1996 4,829 +1,898 +64.76%
1995 2,931 — —

Eastern Africa, 2024

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

MG Madagascar 2,600 ZM Zambia 252
Full table for all countries

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).