Morocco: Cobalt Production Decreases by 14% in 2025, Reaching 1,100 Tons
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As global demand for critical metals continues to rise with the development of electric vehicles and renewable energy, Morocco remains a cobalt producer, despite a decrease in its production in 2025.
According to the Statistical Review of World Energy 2026, published by the Energy Institute, Morocco’s cobalt production reached 1,100 tons in 2025, down from 1,300 tons in 2024, representing a decline of 14.4% year on year. From 2015 to 2025, the average annual decrease in production is estimated at 6.9%.
A Small Share of Global Production
The report highlights that Morocco accounts for approximately 0.4% of global cobalt production and merely 0.1% of global reserves. The ratio of available reserves to the current extraction rate is estimated at 12 years, one of the lowest among cobalt-producing countries.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo Dominates the Market
Globally, mining production of cobalt reached 273,600 tons in 2025, a slight decrease of 1.5% compared to the previous year. Despite this temporary setback, worldwide production has shown an average annual growth of 7.1% over the past decade, driven by the rise of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains the global leader, producing 187,500 tons, which constitutes nearly 68.5% of global production, while holding about 6 million tons of reserves, over half of the world’s total reserves.
Indonesia confirms its rising status with a production of 44,000 tons, ahead of Australia, Canada, Russia, and China, which are also significant players in the market.
Critical Metals at the Heart of the Energy Transition
The report also sheds light on the evolution of other strategic metals essential for low-carbon technologies.
Global production of copper reached 23.01 million tons in 2025, with reserves estimated at 980.2 million tons, as Chile maintains its position as the world’s leading producer.
Natural graphite reached a record level of 1.876 million tons, an increase of 12.6%, largely due to strong demand from the lithium-ion battery industry. China dominates this market, accounting for nearly three-quarters of global production.
Lithium continues its strong progression with a global production of 292,300 tons, marking a year-on-year increase of 25.2%. Australia, Chile, and China occupy the top spots in the global ranking.
Finally, rare earth elements showed a production level of 387,300 tons in 2025. China remains overwhelmingly dominant, representing approximately 70% of global production and nearly half of known reserves.
A Global Competition for Strategic Resources
The study emphasizes that critical metals have become a major issue for global economies. The energy transition, the development of clean technologies, and the rise of electric vehicles fuel an increasing international competition to secure the supply of strategic resources.
In this context, despite a decline in production, Morocco maintains its position in the global cobalt market and remains an active player in the supply chain of essential minerals for the industry of tomorrow.
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