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Cobalt refining, China
Ganzhou, China25.83°N 114.94°E
computed criticality17/100
reading
China ~75-80% of world refined cobalt
2024Fault line
Battery cobalt is mined in the DRC but refined three-quarters in China, an intermediate link that gives Beijing a grip on cathode chemistry far beyond the mine.
↘Easing2035
China's share of cobalt refining, close to 75% today, is projected at just over 60% by 2035 according to the IEA, easing slightly as Indonesian cobalt (often under Chinese control) grows.AIE, Global Critical Minerals Outlook, 2025 ↗
Actors
Huayou Cobalt
CMOC
GEM
Sources