Investor Insight

With a strategic foothold in Portugal and a commodity focus on tungsten – a metal deemed critical by both NATO and US defense agencies – Allied Critical Minerals is advancing two past-producing projects toward near-term production. Backed by a $4.6 million financing, offtake interest from major buyers, and a leadership team with proven capital markets and operational success, ACM is well-positioned to become the largest tungsten producer outside of China.

Overview

Allied Critical Minerals (CSE:ACM,FSE:0VJ0) is advancing two highly strategic, past-producing tungsten projects – Borralha and Vila Verde – located in northern Portugal. These brownfield assets present a compelling combination of near-term production potential and district-scale exploration upside, positioning the company to become the largest tungsten producer outside of China. With 100 percent ownership of both projects and supportive local communities, ACM is well-placed to contribute to the critically needed supply of this strategic metal to Western markets.

Tungsten is essential for defense systems, electric vehicles, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), yet current global supply is dominated by China and Russia, accounting for about 90 percent of production. ACM’s projects are aligned with national security strategies in the US and EU, seeking secure and stable sources of tungsten supply. The company has already signed a letter of intent with Global Tungsten & Powders, a major Pennsylvania-based end-user with ties to the US military and is actively engaging with other global refineries.

To capitalize on these market dynamics, ACM closed a $4.6 million financing to fund an aggressive value creation plan. This includes an ongoing drill program at Borralha aimed at expanding its existing NI 43-101 resource, and the construction of a pilot processing facility at Vila Verde, targeted to begin in Q4 2025 and become operational by 2026. The pilot plant will process tailings and alluvial material from existing deposits, with an estimated annual output of ~250 tons tungsten trioxide (WO₃) and projected revenues of $4 million to $5 million, supporting near-term cash flow with minimal dilution.

ACM differentiates itself from competitors such as American Tungsten and Fireweed through its permitting progress, advanced technical groundwork and strong leadership. CEO Roy Bonnell brings a proven track record of successful exits and rapid value creation, having been instrumental in the success of both Founders Metals (TSXV:FDR) and Thesis Gold (TSXV:TAU) — two of the TSX Venture’s top-performing issuers in recent years.

Company Highlights

• Strategic Focus on Critical Metals: Allied Critical Minerals is developing two tungsten projects – Borralha and Vila Verde – in mining-friendly northern Portugal, targeting near-term production and long-term scale.
• Advanced Brownfield Assets: Both projects are historic producers with significant infrastructure, community support and technical momentum. Borralha produced tungsten from 1904 to 1986, and holds a newly updated NI 43-101 compliant resource.
• Pilot Plant Launch in 2026: A pilot plant at Vila Verde is slated for construction in Q4 2025 with 150,000 tpa throughput capacity, expandable to 300,000 tpa. Target output of ~250 tons WO₃ annually is expected to generate $4 million to $5 million in revenue, funded through non-dilutive financing.
• Offtake and Government Support: Allied has signed an LOI with Global Tungsten & Powders and is in discussions with additional refineries. Expressions of interest from US and EU defense-linked buyers are ongoing.
• High Impact Drill Campaign: A fully funded 5,000 meter drill program is currently underway at Borralha, with assays expected to expand resources and define the high-grade Santa Helena Breccia zone.
• Differentiated from Peers: Allied is one of only a few public companies in the Western world with near-term tungsten production potential, outpacing peers such as American Tungsten and Fireweed, in both timeline and resource readiness.

Key Projects

Borralha Tungsten Project

The Borralha project is ACM’s flagship development-stage asset, located approximately 100 km northeast of Porto in northern Portugal. A brownfield project with a rich production history dating back to 1904, Borralha produced over 10,280 tons of wolframite concentrate at an average grade of 66 percent WO₃, until operations ceased in 1986. Today, the project is advancing rapidly, supported by a Mining Rights Concession License and a newly updated NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate effective July 31, 2024. The estimate defines indicated resources of 4.98 million tons (Mt) at an average grade of 0.22 percent WO₃, 762 grams per ton (g/t) copper, and 4.8 g/t silver, and inferred resources of 7.01 Mt at 0.20 percent WO₃, 642 g/t copper, and 4.4 g/t silver. The project area hosts significant polymetallic enrichment, with tin and copper frequently associated with the tungsten mineralization, adding potential for by-product credits.

The primary zone of interest, the Santa Helena Breccia (SHB), is a subvertical to sub-horizontal breccia pipe-style tungsten system. Historical and recent drilling confirms broad, continuous mineralization with highlight intercepts including 106 m at 0.21 percent WO₃, 114 m at 0.23 percent WO₃, 108 m at 0.22 percent WO₃, and a high-grade zone of 10 m at 1.75 percent WO₃.

The SHB zone accounts for over 70 percent of known mineralization, but only about half of the zone has been drill-tested to date. The current drill campaign is targeting both lateral extensions and higher-grade core zones within the breccia body.

Geologically, the deposit is hosted in metasedimentary rocks intruded by late-Variscan granites, with mineralization occurring predominantly as wolframite associated with quartz-cassiterite veins and breccia infill. Breccia pipe mining techniques – similar to open-pit quarry operations – are anticipated for early-stage exploitation.

The project is currently undergoing an environmental impact assessment under review by Portuguese authorities. The mining license includes provisions for up to 150,000 tons per annum of bulk sampling ahead of full-scale operations, which will be governed by a future feasibility study. The low-cost drill environment (~$235/meter) and excellent infrastructure – including road, power, water and proximity to a skilled workforce – make Borralha a technically robust and strategically significant asset for ACM.

Vila Verde Tungsten-Tin Project

Located approximately 45 km southeast of Borralha, the Vila Verde project is ACM’s pilot production and near-term cash flow opportunity. Historically, this area hosted the Vale das Gatas Mine, which was one of Portugal’s largest tungsten producers prior to its closure in 1986. The project covers a significantly larger land area than Borralha and includes multiple mineralized zones, notably Cumieira and Porqueira. A historical resource estimate from 2020 defined 7.3 Mt of mineralized material above a 0.05 percent WO₃ cutoff, including 4.0 Mt at 0.14 percent WO₃ in the Cumieira zone and 3.3 Mt at 0.10 percent WO₃ in Porqueira. While historical in nature, these figures are supported by 17 diamond drill holes totaling 2,103 metres, which revealed a 2.1 km x 1.0 km mineralized footprint at Cumieira and a 1.0 km x 500 m footprint at Porqueira.

Vila Verde Pilot Plan

Vila Verde is advancing toward the construction of a 150,000-ton-per-annum pilot plant, scheduled to begin construction in Q4 2025 and be operational in 2026. Tailings and alluvial material from the Justes deposit will be used as the initial feedstock, with an average WO₃ grade of ~0.21 percent anticipated. Plant design includes standard crushing and grinding circuits followed by gravimetric and magnetic separation to produce a high-grade wolframite concentrate. Engineering work by GMR Consultores and MinePro Solutions supports an annual output of approximately 250 tons of WO₃ under current parameters. The total estimated CAPEX for the pilot plant is CA$7.9 million, with a proposed expansion to 300,000 tpa requiring an additional CA$2.9 million, both targeted for non-dilutive funding sources.

Permitting is progressing efficiently, with the mineral license being converted from exploration to experimental mining status. This permits early-stage production while full-scale licensing is pursued. The project benefits from pre-existing quarry infrastructure, strong community support, and short timelines to cash flow. A signed LOI with Global Tungsten & Powders in Pennsylvania provides an initial offtake channel, and additional negotiations with global refiners are ongoing. Vila Verde is central to ACM’s short-term revenue plan and is designed to serve as a testbed for scalable production across its broader tungsten portfolio.

Management Team

Roy Bonnell – CEO and Director

Roy Bonnell is a seasoned executive with over 30 years in capital markets, venture finance and natural resources. Bonnell holds an LLB from Western University, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and an MBA from McGill University. He brings deep leadership and financing experience and previously served as a board member for Founders Metals and Thesis Gold – two of the TSXV’s top performers.

João Barros – President and COO

With over 20 years of mining sector experience in Portugal, João Barros specializes in exploration management, environmental impact assessments and feasibility studies. He has held leadership roles at Ascendant Resources and Redcorp, and is a member of the Portuguese Engineers Association.

Sean O’Neill – Non-Executive Chairman

Sean O’Neill is head of securities at Boughton Law with 20+ years in corporate and securities law, including advising mining firms globally. He holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Law, an MBA, and is a registered professional engineer (P.Eng).

Michael Galego – Director

Michael Galego is the CEO of Apolo Capital Advisory and CLO of LNG Energy, with extensive experience in M&A and corporate strategy. Notably, he advised on the sale of Woulfe Mining (tungsten asset) to Almonty Industries. He is a Lexpert Top 40 Under 40 awardee and member of the TSX Venture Advisory Committee.

Colin Padget – Director

CEO of Founders Metals, Colin Padget brings operational exploration experience across South America. He holds a Masters in Geology and a Bachelor in Business Administration.

Andrew Lee – Director and Corporate Secretary

Former Managing Director of York Harbour Metals, Andrew Lee has 15 years of global exploration experience across gold and phosphate projects in Ecuador and West Africa.

Sean Choi – CFO

A CPA with nearly 20 years in mining finance, Sean Choi has held CFO roles at York Harbour Metals, Ecuador Gold & Copper, and Northern Sun Mining. He holds a degree from the Western University.

Bullet briefing — Gold repatriation, Rule Symposium

Germany, Italy to repatriate gold?

Germany and Italy are facing calls to bring home gold stored in the US.

According to the Financial Times, politicians and economists in the two countries are pushing for repatriation as a result of global geopolitical uncertainty, as well as concerns about Trump’s potential influence on the Federal Reserve as he continues to criticize Chair Jerome Powell.

‘We are very concerned about Trump tampering with the Federal Reserve Bank’s independence. Our recommendation is to bring the (German and Italian) gold home to ensure European central banks have unlimited control over it at any given point in time’ — Michael Jäger, Taxpayers Association of Europe

The news outlet calculates that German and Italian gold held in the US has a total value of about US$245 billion. Market participants agree that it would be a blow to relations with America if the countries were to bring their gold home at this time.

At least for now they seem unlikely to do so — although Italy’s central bank hasn’t commented, Germany’s Bundesbank said it sees the New York Fed as ‘trustworthy and reliable.’

Send your questions for the Rule Symposium

The Rule Symposium runs in Boca Raton, Florida, from July 7 to 11, and I’ll be heading there to interview Rick Rule, as well as Adrian Day, Lobo Tiggre, Andy Schectman, Dr. Nomi Prins and more.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, major indexes ended the week up. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 0.77 percent during the week to close at 26,687.14 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fared better, gaining 1.47 percent to 724.26, while the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) climbed 0.74 percent to 117.39.

US equities were also in positive territory this week, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) gaining 3.41 percent to close at a record high of 6,173.08, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) surging 4.17 percent to its own all-time high of 22,534.20. While it didn’t break its previous high, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) also climbed significantly, up 3.89 percent to 43,819.26.

On the other hand, the gold price declined this week, falling 2.8 percent to US$3,274.15 by Friday at 4 p.m. EDT. The silver price ended the week down just 0.05 percent at US$35.99.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price surged 5.59 percent over the week to US$5.12 per pound. Prices have been rising due to increased purchases ahead of US tariffs and significant drawdowns of inventories in London Metals Exchange warehouses.

Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) lost 6.07 percent to close at 545.71.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Onyx Gold (TSXV:ONYX)

Weekly gain: 121.28 percent
Market cap: C$106.84 million
Share price: C$2.08

Onyx Gold is an exploration company advancing its Munro-Croesus project, located near Timmins in Ontario, Canada. The company has increased the size of the land package by 200 percent between 2020 and 2025, and the project now covers an area of 109 square kilometers.

Munro-Croesus hosts the historic Croesus mine, which produced 14,859 ounces of gold between 1915 and 1936 with an average grade of 95.3 grams per metric ton (g/t). Onyx is the first company to explore the property since the mine closed.

Shares in Onyx have seen gains in recent weeks as it made several investment and project announcements.

The first came on June 12, when the company announced that it had completed a private placement with Windfall Mining, a subsidiary of Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI), which purchased 9.4 percent of Onyx’s issued and outstanding shares. Onyx said the investment is an endorsement of its long-term vision.

As for this week, on Tuesday (June 24), Onyx announced that it signed a mineral property purchase and sale agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Munro and Hewitt properties, both located near the existing Munro-Croesus project. The acquisition will expand the company’s land package to 109 square kilometers from the previous 95 square kilometers.

In its most recent update on Thursday (June 26), the company reported the first drill results from its 10,000 meter spring drill program at the Argus North zone at Munro-Croesus. One highlighted assay contained 1.8 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 91 meters, including 4 g/t over 32 meters and 5.3 g/t over 17 meters.

The company said the results demonstrate the continuity of broad zones of high-grade gold mineralization. It added that mineralization was confirmed along strike and that the zone is still open in all directions.

2. US Copper (TSXV:USCU)

Weekly gain: 83.33 percent
Market cap: C$14.5 million
Share price: C$0.11

US Copper is an exploration company working to advance its Moonlight-Superior project in Northeast California, United States.

The project covers approximately 13 square miles of patented and unpatented federal mining claims in the Lights Creek Copper District, near the Nevada border.

A preliminary economic assessment released on January 6 demonstrated a post-tax net present value of US$1.08 billion with an internal rate of return of 23 percent and a payback period of 5.3 years, assuming a copper price of US$4.15 per pound.

The included mineral resource estimate shows a total indicated resource of 2.5 billion pounds of copper, 21.7 million ounces of silver and 140,042 ounces of gold from 402.83 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 0.31 percent copper, 1.85 parts per million (ppm) silver and 0.012 ppm gold. The majority is hosted at its Moonlight and Superior deposits.

Although the company did not release news this week, its shares have seen significant gains alongside a rising price of copper.

3. ArcWest Exploration (TSXV:AWX)

Weekly gain: 68.42 percent
Market cap: C$11.21 million
Share price: C$0.16

ArcWest Exploration is an exploration company that has most recently been working to advance its Todd Creek and Oweegee Dome properties within the Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada.

The Todd Creek property is a 21,343 hectare site that adjoins Newmont’s (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) Brucejack property and hosts widespread copper and gold mineralization. Historical exploration of the site yielded grab samples with up to 37.7 g/t gold and 5.3 percent copper. The project is covered by a March 2023 earn-in agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) that could see Freeport earn a 51 percent stake, with C$20 million in investments over a five year period.

The 31,077 hectare Oweegee Dome property is located 34 kilometers northeast of the Brucejack mine and hosts underexplored copper and gold systems, including Delta and Skowill East. Oweegee Dome is covered by a July 2021 option agreement with Sanatana Resources (TSXV:STA). Under the terms of the agreement, Sanatana can earn an initial 60 percent interest in the property through cumulative exploration investments of C$6.6 million over four years.

Shares in ArcWest gained this week after a pair of announcements.

The first came on Wednesday, when the company reported results from a 2024 drill program, funded and operated by Sanatana, that extended the mineralized zone at Oweegee Dome. Sanatana President Buddy Doyle said, “We now think the alteration and mineralization we see at surface at Delta is only the southeast corner of a larger system.”

The other news was released on Thursday, when it announced it had mobilized for a drill program at Todd Creek. The program will receive a minimum of C$4 million in funding from Freeport-McMoRan.

4. Belo Sun (TSXV:BSX)

Weekly gain: 62.79 percent
Market cap: C$163.35 million
Share price: C$0.35

Belo Sun Mining is an exploration and development company focused on advancing its Volta Grande gold project in Brazil.

The property covers approximately 2,400 hectares within the Tres Palmeiras greenstone belt in Para State, Brazil. The company has been working on the project since 2003, and acquired necessary development permits in 2014 and 2017.

A 2015 mineral reserve estimate demonstrated a proven and probable reserve of 3.79 million ounces of gold from 116 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1.02 g/t.

Development at the site stalled in 2018 after a federal judge ruled that the Federal Brazilian Institute of the Environment (IBMA) would be the competent authority for issuing environmental permits. The decision was overturned in 2019 with the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability of the State of Para (SEMAS) reassuming its permitting authority. The decision was once again reversed in September 2023, returning authority to IBMA.

On January 23, Belo Sun announced that the Federal Court of Appeals had reassigned SEMAS as the permitting authority for the Volta Grande project. The company said it was pleased with the decision, as the agency is familiar with the project and enjoys a constructive and transparent relationship with it.

On Monday (June 23), the company announced shareholders approved a renewal of the company’s governance structure and elected four new directors to the board. Four of the board’s six members are now either Brazilian or have spent significant parts of their careers working in Brazil.

5. Reyna Silver (TSXV:RSLV)

Weekly gain: 52.94 percent
Market cap: C$33.05 million
Share price: C$0.13

Reyna Silver is a silver exploration company with a portfolio of assets in Chihuahua, Mexico, and Nevada, US.

One of its two Mexican assets is Guigui, a 4,750 hectare property covering a significant portion of the Santa Eulalia Mining District. The area has a history of mining dating back to the 1700s with production of almost 450 million ounces of silver between then and 2001.

Its other one is Batopilas, a 1,183 hectare site that covers 94 percent of the Batopilas Mining District, which has significant deposits of pure, native silver. Historic mining at the site produced an estimated 200 million to 300 million ounces of silver dating back to the mid-1600s.

Its primary American asset is the Gryphon Summit project located along the Carlin-trend. The project covers an area of 10,300 hectares and is prospective for gold, silver and critical minerals.

It also owns the Medicine Springs project, which spans 4,831 hectares south of Elko City. Previous exploration at the site identified lead, zinc and silver mineralization.

Shares in Reyna gained this week after it entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Torex Gold (TSX:TXG).

The deal, valued at US$26 million, will see Torex acquire all issued and outstanding common shares in Reyna, thereby gaining access to its wholly owned Mexican portfolio. Additionally, Torex will have the option to acquire a 70 percent stake in the Gryphon Summit project and a 100 percent interest in Medicine Springs.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Golden Triangle deal mirrors global M&A trend

The Tudor-American Creek deal is the latest in a wave of mining sector consolidations driven by a record gold price, rising corporate cash reserves and dwindling new deposit discoveries.

Notable deals in the first half of 2025 include the C$2.6 billion merger of Equinox Gold (TSX:EQX,NYSEAMERICAN:EQX) and Calibre Mining, which was announced in February and closed this month.

In Australia, Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST,OTC Pink:NESRF) closed its AU$5 billion acquisition of De Grey Mining in May. De Grey was the owner of the massive Hemi gold deposit. The same month, Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI,JSE:GFI) made a US$2.4 billion bid for Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR,OTC Pink:ELKMF).

Ramelius Resources’ (ASX:RMS,OTC Pink:RMLRF) AU$2.4 billion acquisition of Spartan Resources (ASX:SPR,OTC Pink:GYYSF), announced in March, further underscores the appetite for consolidation.

Data from S&P Global Commodity Insights shows last year’s M&A activity laid the groundwork for this trend.

With US$26.54 billion in deal value across 62 qualifying transactions, gold remained the dominant metal of focus, accounting for 43 deals and US$19.31 billion of total deal value. ‘Ever-depleting mining reserves and limited exploration success mean that acquisition is now the key strategy for growth,’ the report notes.

Gold’s record price rise, which took it to the US$3,500 per ounce level in April, has made previously uneconomic deposits viable and pushed miners’ margins to historic highs.

Historic backwardation signals market distress

Backwardation in metals markets typically suggests that buyers are scrambling to obtain physical supply. In copper’s case, a combination of logistical, geopolitical and structural forces is driving the surge.

LME stockpiles have been rapidly drawn down as traders and manufacturers shift metal to the US in anticipation of potential trade barriers, spurred by US President Donald Trump’s tariff moves.

That migration has created acute shortages in Europe and Asia. Chinese smelters, responding to the price premium and slackening domestic demand, have begun exporting surplus copper to global markets. Yet those flows have not kept pace with the drawdowns, and China’s own inventories have also dwindled.

The LME had hoped recent regulatory interventions would prevent another disorderly squeeze like the one that disrupted the nickel market in 2022. Last week, the exchange enacted new rules mandating that traders with large front-month positions offer to lend those holdings if they exceed available inventories.

The so-called “front-month lending rule” is meant to discourage hoarding and promote liquidity.

However, recent copper trading data suggest that no single trader is behind the current squeeze. On Monday, the Tom/next spread — a one day lending rate — spiked to US$69 per metric ton.

This would only occur if no one entity held enough copper to trigger lending obligations under the new rules, indicating the tightness is likely the result of broad-based market dynamics rather than manipulation.

LME tightens oversight

As mentioned, the LME has begun cracking down on oversized positions across its metals complex.

In a June 20 statement, the exchange introduced a temporary, market-wide rule to manage large front-month exposures. Under the updated rules, traders holding positions in the front-month contract for a metal that exceed the total available exchange inventories — excluding any stock they already own — must offer to lend those positions at “level,” meaning they are required to roll them over to the next month at the same price.

The rule aims to rein in aggressive moves by commodities trading houses that have made deep inroads into metals markets over the past year. The LME emphasized in its release that recent market interventions are targeted, adding that the newly introduced rule offers a standardized approach.

Still, the unprecedented depth of copper’s backwardation — now extending years into the future — suggests that broader supply/demand dynamics are at play, beyond what position limits alone can control.

For manufacturers and industrial users, the squeeze presents a serious cost and planning risk. Many rely on the LME as a pricing and hedging mechanism. But when exchange inventories drop this low, even large players can face trouble sourcing metal to meet contract obligations. With exchange-based supply nearly exhausted, companies may increasingly turn to off-market deals or bilateral supply agreements — often at higher prices.

This shift weakens the LME’s role as a central clearinghouse for global copper, and raises questions about its ability to handle future shocks, especially as energy transition policies boost long-term demand for the metal.

Market watchers will also be looking to the next moves from Chinese exporters, US trade policy under Trump and the LME’s enforcement of its new regulations.

A race against the clock

Despite initial cushioning from global stockpiles, experts warn that refined cobalt supply may soon run thin.

Transporting cobalt from the landlocked DRC to China’s processing hubs typically takes about 90 days. This means that if shipments do not recommence soon, shortages could begin to materialize in late Q3 or early Q4.

‘Stockpiles of cobalt outside the DR Congo will reach very low levels by the September 21 deadline if nothing else changes,’ Jack Bedder, founder of Project Blue, told the Financial Times.

Cobalt plays a vital role in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics and renewable energy storage. While many battery makers have begun shifting toward lower-cobalt or cobalt-free chemistries, demand for the metal remains strong — especially for high-performance applications.

Complicating the supply/demand dynamics is the fact that cobalt is often a by-product of copper mining.

With copper prices rebounding sharply — trading around US$9,600 per metric ton this week on the London Metal Exchange — producers have little incentive to curb overall output.

The move to extend the cobalt ban also coincides with the DRC’s recent efforts to assert greater control over its vast mineral wealth. The Central African nation is currently in discussions with the US over a potential minerals partnership aimed at strengthening supply chain security for clean energy technologies.

The export suspension is just the latest in a series of efforts by resource-rich countries to assert more control over key commodities. Similar moves have been seen in Indonesia, which banned nickel ore exports in 2020 to spur domestic processing, and in Chile, where the government is pushing for greater state participation in the lithium sector.