DRC Bans Copper-Cobalt Concentrate Exports, U.S. Restricts Battery Black Mass Flows—Dual Policy Tightening Hits Global Lithium Battery Supply Chain

On August 6, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) issued an administrative directive banning exports of copper and cobalt concentrates. Exceptions may be granted under special circumstances for a maximum period of one year. The directive also introduces a new tax on mining by-products, which will take effect three months from issuance. As the source of approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt supply, the DRC had already imposed strict approval requirements on exports of copper and cobalt concentrates. This latest ban aims to promote domestic downstream processing of mineral resources. Meanwhile, at the end of July, the United States signed an executive order authorizing the Department of Commerce to control exports of spent lithium-ion battery scrap containing critical minerals—commonly known as “black mass.” The measure requires such material to be prioritized for domestic recyclers, takes effect on August 27, and will remain valid for one year, with exemptions possible in certain cases. Black mass, a fine active powder produced by shredding spent lithium-ion batteries, serves as a key intermediate feedstock for producing recycled materials. By the first quarter of 2026, U.S. black mass production capacity is projected to account for roughly 9% of the global total. These two policies tighten supply from both primary mining and secondary recycling fronts, restricting other countries’ access to copper and cobalt concentrates as well as black mass, raising raw material circulation costs, and potentially accelerating the relocation of related processing capacity toward resource-rich regions. However, the DRC faces limited domestic smelting infrastructure, while the U.S. confronts challenges in black mass refining capacity and technology, posing constraints on the practical implementation of these policies.