Cobalt: Stocks
Land reserves, and billions of tonnes on the seabed
What this tab covers How much is left and how much is held. For minerals and energy: reserves, current output, years of supply and recycling for the top five countries. For farm commodities: production, ending stocks and stocks-to-use for the top five producers (USDA, October 2026). It also covers inventories and stockpiles.Top five countries: reserves, output and years of supply
| Country | Reserves kt Co content | Current output kt Co content (mine, 2025e) | Years of supply | Recycling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congo (Kinshasa) | 6,000 | 230 | 26 | n/a |
| Indonesia | 760 | 44 | 17 | n/a |
| Russia | 800 | 7.7 | 104 | n/a |
| Madagascar | 100 | 3.9 | 26 | n/a |
| Australia | 1,700 | 3.7 | 459 | n/a |
Recycling
Secondary supply was roughly 10% of global cobalt supply in 2025 (Cobalt Institute); Benchmark cites 30-45 kt a year of recycled supply (Oct 2026). In the US, cobalt in purchased scrap was 25% of estimated consumption in 2025 (USGS). The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 22% (EU CRM 2023). No country figures were found for China, Japan or India. Australia's JORC-compliant reserves are lower, at 680 kt. Seafloor nodules hold an estimated 5 billion t of cobalt (USGS).
USGS reserves are 12 million tonnes, about 39 years of 2025 output, and DR Congo holds half. Land-based identified resources are about 25 million tonnes. USGS estimates 5 billion tonnes in seafloor nodules, though mining them is unproven. Recycling is growing but limited. The EU end-of-life recycling input rate is 22%, and in the US purchased scrap was 25% of cobalt use in 2025. Inventories responded to Congo's 2025 export ban. US industry stocks rose from 956 to about 1,500 tonnes, and Congo set aside quota volume for a national strategic reserve.
Reserves
World reserves 12,000,000 metric tons, cobalt content Reserve life 39 years at 2025 production DR Congo 50% Australia 14% Russia 7% Indonesia 6% Cuba 4% Largest reserve holders, share of world reserves (USGS MCS 2026). Reserves are what is economic to extract today, not what exists.Recycling
End-of-life recycling input rate in the EU: 22% of demand met from post-consumer scrap (EU CRM study 2023).In 2025 the cobalt content of purchased scrap represented 25% of estimated US cobalt consumption.