China Materials Monthly Tracker Equities Base metals entering 2026 with firmer fundamentals Congo's cobalt export ban continues despite the plans to replace it with a quota system in mid-October: The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) cobalt export ban, implemented in February 2025, is entering its 11th month, with the proposed quota system yet to be implemented. Under the proposed quota system in mid-October, miners could ship 18kt in 4Q25 and up to c96kt each in 2026/27 (c50% of the country's 2024 expor ...