Material shortages for EV? US-Iran conflict disrupts supply chains; Congolese copper and cobalt mines sound alarm.
Reuters reported on Monday (13th), citing sources familiar with the matter, that major copper and cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are facing disruptions to key leaching chemicals as the conflict in Iran impacts global shipping and chemical supplies. Some orders have been cancelled or withdrawn, forcing miners to reduce usage and even reassess production cuts, indicating that geopolitical risks are spreading to the electric vehicle and energy transition supply chains.
The DRC is the world’s largest cobalt producer and a major copper supplier in Africa. Its industry is highly dependent on sulfuric acid and sulfur-containing chemicals (such as sodium metabisulfite, SMBS) for ore leaching. However, shipping disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict have led to delays and cancellations in the supply of these chemicals. Sources indicated that an order for approximately 2,000 metric tons of SMBS has been completely cancelled, and another shipment of approximately 1,800 metric tons, signed in early April, has been withdrawn.
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