Mining companies question Congo's cooper and cobalt exports ban

KINSHAHA (Scrap Monster) : The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed that all exports of copper and cobalt from the country will be banned during the period from July to August.

The Ministry of Mines last month had announced a complete ban on exports of unrefined copper and cobalt. This was part of the Government’s efforts to boost the exports of domestically processed products. The Congo officials in a recently concluded summit in Japan reiterated its decision to impose ban on copper and cobalt, including concentrates for two months period-July to August.

The major metal importing countries as well as the mining companies have questioned the decision of the Government to go ahead with the ban. The acute power shortages will dent the production of refined products, making the ban ineffective.

The ban imposed by the African nation would seriously affect China as nearly 95% of the cobalt imports by the country in 2012 were from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Out of the total cobalt imports of 177,000 tons, the cobalt concentrates imported from Congo accounted for 166,000 tons.