# Cobalt: Stocks

Land reserves, and billions of tonnes on the seabed

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/stocks/

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 |

 USGS MCS 2026, Cobalt (world mine production and reserves table). Years of supply = reserves ÷ current output; reserves grow as prices and technology change, so this is not a countdown.

#### 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.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cobalt/links/index.md)