Cobalt supply chain supply chain chokepoints

category tradeable chokepoint

How scores are shown

Criticality

Comes from the trace model and describes the node's dependency importance.

Evidence

Comes from the canonical Vein Graph: AI assertions, user corrections, and external sources. Provisional — needs corroboration or an external source before strong wording.

Completeness

A data-coverage label based on available summary, evidence, sources, tickers, and chokepoint rationale.

Dynamic claims are capped below 100% and AI-only edges remain labeled as inferred.

Model: trace-score-v1

⚠ Hidden chokepoints found

DRC copper-cobalt mining44% confidence — DRC supplies the majority of global mine cobalt; power and logistics disruptions ripple quickly.

Artisanal & small-scale mining oversight44% confidence — OEM due diligence requirements can exclude untraceable cobalt streams.

Cobalt hydroxide refining44% confidence — China refines most hydroxide; export controls or energy shocks tighten Western supply.

Cobalt supply chainBattery metals

Copper-cobalt by-product mining through hydroxide refining to cathode powders.

Criticality: unknownEvidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: thin

DRC copper-cobalt miningMining⚠ provisional chokepoint

Katanga copper belt deposits where cobalt is a critical by-product.

DRC supplies the majority of global mine cobalt; power and logistics disruptions ripple quickly.44% confidence

CMOC—CMOC Groupstock

ProducerSupplies into this nodeSupply-chain context only — not investment advice.

Criticality: high (provisional)Evidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: partial

Artisanal & small-scale mining oversightESG⚠ provisional chokepoint

Traceability programs and aggregator networks for ASM material.

OEM due diligence requirements can exclude untraceable cobalt streams.44% confidence

Criticality: high (provisional)Evidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: partial

— core tradeable element

Cobalt hydroxide refiningRefining⚠ provisional chokepoint

Hydrometallurgical refining predominantly in China and Finland.

China refines most hydroxide; export controls or energy shocks tighten Western supply.44% confidence

Criticality: high (provisional)Evidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: partial

— core tradeable element

Cathode chemistry (NMC vs LFP)Battery materialsmedium criticality

LFP adoption reduces cobalt intensity but high-nickel chemistries still need cobalt.

Criticality: mediumEvidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: thin

— core tradeable element

Freight & export corridorsLogisticsmedium criticality

Road and port routes from inland DRC to Durban and East African ports.

Criticality: mediumEvidence: UnverifiedCompleteness: thin

— core tradeable element

Sector templates

Generated analysis — not investment advice.

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