Import origins by country since 2010
Where US imports come from each month, by country and grade.
Cobalt Price per kg (United States)
On the US Critical Minerals List and the EU Critical Raw Materials Act list.
Price per kg contained
$56.81
- 1M
- −3.9%
- 6M
- +16.0%
- 1Y
- +82.0%
- 5Y
- +20.3%
Explore with AI
Cobalt price chart
The Stockatomics monthly US benchmark for cobalt, in US dollars per kg contained.
$56.81
- 1m
- −3.9%
- 6m
- +16.0%
- 1y
- +82.0%
- 5y
- +20.3%
18 October 2026
- Benchmark price
- $56.81
- Import volume
- Locked
- All-imports price
- Locked
- Premium-priced imports
- Locked
- China share of imports
- Locked
- China unit-value spread
- Locked
- Origin countries
- Locked
At a glance
Cobalt price key figures
- Price per kg contained
- $56.81
- 1-month change
- −3.9%
- 6-month change
- +16.0%
- 1-year change
- +82.0%
- 5-year change
- +20.3%
- 12-month high
- $60.40
- 12-month low
- $34.42
- Price month
- October 2026
- Price type
- Stockatomics monthly benchmark
- Last updated
- 18 October 2026
By month
Cobalt monthly prices
The cobalt benchmark for every month from January 2010 to October 2026, in US dollars per kg contained, newest first.
| Month | Price per kg contained | Change |
|---|---|---|
| $56.81 | 0.0% | |
| $56.81 | 0.0% | |
| $56.81 | −4.0% | |
| $59.15 | −2.1% | |
| $60.40 | +5.9% | |
| $57.01 | +3.7% | |
| $54.95 | +6.1% | |
| $51.77 | +5.7% | |
| $49.00 | +7.9% | |
| $45.41 | +31.9% | |
| $34.42 | −1.0% | |
| $34.78 | +3.1% | |
| $33.74 | −3.5% | |
| $34.98 | +12.1% | |
| $31.21 | −2.7% | |
| $32.06 | −1.2% | |
| $32.44 | +4.3% | |
| $31.11 | +11.1% | |
| $28.01 | +8.2% | |
| $25.88 | −0.8% | |
| $26.09 | −10.7% | |
| $29.22 | +14.3% | |
| $25.56 | −1.7% | |
| $25.99 | +8.2% | |
| $24.01 | −9.5% | |
| $26.53 | −0.6% | |
| $26.70 | +2.4% | |
| $26.07 | −2.2% | |
| $26.66 | −18.4% | |
| $32.68 | +3.1% | |
| $31.70 | +5.8% | |
| $29.97 | −4.7% | |
| $31.46 | −13.8% | |
| $36.48 | +6.8% | |
| $34.17 | +4.4% | |
| $32.72 | −4.2% | |
| $34.14 | +5.1% | |
| $32.48 | +2.6% | |
| $31.65 | −9.7% | |
| $35.04 | +12.2% | |
| $31.23 | −7.3% | |
| $33.68 | −5.3% | |
| $35.56 | −6.7% | |
| $38.10 | −18.9% | |
| $47.00 | −6.0% | |
| $50.02 | −3.9% | |
| $52.03 | −4.0% | |
| $54.18 | +2.8% | |
| $52.70 | −6.5% | |
| $56.36 | −22.3% | |
| $72.54 | −9.3% | |
| $79.96 | +1.5% | |
| $78.74 | +1.8% | |
| $77.34 | +16.3% | |
| $66.49 | +1.5% | |
| $65.48 | +21.8% | |
| $53.74 | −10.0% | |
| $59.68 | +3.1% | |
| $57.87 | +3.9% | |
| $55.68 | +14.4% | |
| $48.68 | −0.9% | |
| $49.10 | +3.9% | |
| $47.24 | −1.5% | |
| $47.95 | +18.4% | |
| $40.51 | −5.5% | |
| $42.87 | +5.7% | |
| $40.57 | +2.9% | |
| $39.43 | +16.8% | |
| $33.75 | +3.1% | |
| $32.75 | −19.0% | |
| $40.41 | +30.1% | |
| $31.05 | −4.9% | |
| $32.66 | +9.4% | |
| $29.85 | +14.3% | |
| $26.12 | −14.3% | |
| $30.47 | +0.1% | |
| $30.45 | −3.7% | |
| $31.61 | −7.5% | |
| $34.16 | −9.7% | |
| $37.81 | +12.4% | |
| $33.63 | −9.2% | |
| $37.04 | +6.0% | |
| $34.94 | −1.0% | |
| $35.31 | −0.6% | |
| $35.51 | +4.7% | |
| $33.93 | +12.8% | |
| $30.07 | −10.4% | |
| $33.55 | +2.4% | |
| $32.75 | −8.5% | |
| $35.78 | −7.0% | |
| $38.46 | −3.0% | |
| $39.64 | −20.9% | |
| $50.11 | −14.7% | |
| $58.75 | −2.1% | |
| $60.02 | −3.0% | |
| $61.85 | −10.0% | |
| $68.72 | +11.1% | |
| $61.86 | −15.8% | |
| $73.51 | −7.5% | |
| $79.47 | +12.6% | |
| $70.56 | +2.5% | |
| $68.84 | −12.6% | |
| $78.72 | +28.0% | |
| $61.49 | −13.3% | |
| $70.90 | +8.8% | |
| $65.16 | +16.5% | |
| $55.94 | −5.8% | |
| $59.37 | −0.3% | |
| $59.55 | +3.0% | |
| $57.80 | +5.6% | |
| $54.76 | +5.2% | |
| $52.07 | +1.0% | |
| $51.54 | +5.5% | |
| $48.86 | +2.2% | |
| $47.82 | +27.2% | |
| $37.59 | +10.4% | |
| $34.05 | +15.4% | |
| $29.50 | +7.4% | |
| $27.48 | +6.8% | |
| $25.72 | −1.2% | |
| $26.02 | +5.2% | |
| $24.73 | +2.8% | |
| $24.06 | +1.7% | |
| $23.66 | +1.8% | |
| $23.25 | −2.7% | |
| $23.90 | −6.3% | |
| $25.51 | +14.3% | |
| $22.32 | +6.4% | |
| $20.97 | −4.1% | |
| $21.86 | −9.0% | |
| $24.03 | −8.2% | |
| $26.17 | −5.6% | |
| $27.72 | −1.8% | |
| $28.24 | −0.7% | |
| $28.45 | +0.2% | |
| $28.39 | 0.0% | |
| $28.40 | +5.3% | |
| $26.97 | −1.6% | |
| $27.41 | −5.3% | |
| $28.94 | −4.7% | |
| $30.38 | +0.3% | |
| $30.29 | −2.5% | |
| $31.06 | +0.6% | |
| $30.87 | +1.5% | |
| $30.42 | −0.1% | |
| $30.44 | +4.1% | |
| $29.23 | +0.6% | |
| $29.05 | −0.4% | |
| $29.17 | −2.0% | |
| $29.77 | −1.9% | |
| $30.34 | +11.5% | |
| $27.22 | +4.0% | |
| $26.17 | −0.6% | |
| $26.33 | −2.1% | |
| $26.90 | −0.7% | |
| $27.08 | +1.4% | |
| $26.70 | −3.7% | |
| $27.74 | −1.5% | |
| $28.17 | +4.4% | |
| $26.97 | +3.3% | |
| $26.11 | +2.0% | |
| $25.61 | +0.1% | |
| $25.59 | +3.4% | |
| $24.74 | +2.7% | |
| $24.08 | +0.4% | |
| $23.98 | −11.3% | |
| $27.02 | −6.2% | |
| $28.80 | +3.9% | |
| $27.71 | +0.5% | |
| $27.57 | +0.1% | |
| $27.55 | −3.4% | |
| $28.51 | −9.1% | |
| $31.35 | +4.9% | |
| $29.88 | −1.6% | |
| $30.36 | −5.8% | |
| $32.23 | +4.4% | |
| $30.86 | +0.3% | |
| $30.78 | +0.3% | |
| $30.69 | −5.9% | |
| $32.60 | −6.3% | |
| $34.81 | +3.7% | |
| $33.57 | −5.7% | |
| $35.60 | −4.9% | |
| $37.45 | −0.4% | |
| $37.59 | +1.9% | |
| $36.90 | −6.9% | |
| $39.65 | −1.3% | |
| $40.17 | +5.3% | |
| $38.16 | +6.3% | |
| $35.91 | −6.7% | |
| $38.48 | −1.6% | |
| $39.11 | +1.5% | |
| $38.55 | +0.1% | |
| $38.52 | +2.9% | |
| $37.43 | −5.4% | |
| $39.58 | −9.9% | |
| $43.95 | +2.7% | |
| $42.80 | +0.6% | |
| $42.54 | −2.8% | |
| $43.75 | +18.0% | |
| $37.09 | −4.8% | |
| $38.95 | - |
Summary
Cobalt price summary
Cobalt has fallen 3.9% in the past month.
Over the past 12 months it has ranged from $34.42 to $60.40 per kg contained.
Over one year the price has changed +82.0%, and over five years +20.3%.
Uses
What cobalt is used for
Cobalt (Co) earns most of its demand in lithium-ion battery cathodes, both the nickel-rich chemistries of electric vehicles and the lithium cobalt oxide of phones and laptops. Its older, steadier market is superalloys for jet engine and gas turbine parts, which must hold their strength close to their melting point. The rise of cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate batteries has slowed growth per vehicle, but total battery demand still sets the tone.
Other uses
- Cemented carbide cutting tools, where cobalt is the binder
- Samarium-cobalt and alnico magnets
- Catalysts for removing sulphur from fuels
- Cobalt-chrome medical implants and dental alloys
Market
Cobalt supply and demand factors
Cobalt supply is extraordinarily concentrated: the Democratic Republic of Congo mines most of the world's cobalt as a by-product of copper, and China refines most of it. Because cobalt rarely pays for a mine on its own, output follows copper and nickel economics, and supply can swing far from demand. Demand depends heavily on battery chemistry: nickel-rich cathodes need cobalt, while lithium iron phosphate needs none.
What moves the price
- Congolese export policy, including quotas
- New supply from Indonesian nickel operations
- Electric vehicle sales and the mix of battery chemistries
- Aerospace superalloy demand
History
Cobalt price history
Cobalt has had one of the most dramatic histories of any battery metal. Prices soared in 2017 and early 2018 on electric vehicle enthusiasm and stockpiling, then crashed as Congolese supply surged. A second rally in 2021 and 2022 gave way to a slump in 2023 and 2024, as new output from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia flooded the market.
In 2025 the Democratic Republic of Congo suspended cobalt exports and then moved to export quotas, and prices rebounded sharply. As of October 2026, the Stockatomics benchmark price is $56.81 per kg contained.
Production
Where cobalt is produced
The Democratic Republic of Congo mines most of the world's cobalt, as a by-product of copper mining, while Indonesia has become the second-largest producer through its nickel processing plants. Russia, Australia and the Philippines are smaller sources. China refines most of the world's cobalt chemicals and metal.
Criticality
Why cobalt is a critical mineral
Cobalt is on the US critical minerals list and the EU critical raw materials list. Battery and aerospace supply chains depend on it, mining is concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo and refining in China, and the US has very limited domestic production.
Benchmark
How the cobalt benchmark price is calculated
Stockatomics publishes a monthly US benchmark price for cobalt in US dollars per kg contained, reading as of October 2026. The figure is a contained-cobalt price. It is not a price for a battery cathode or for cobalt hydroxide, which trades at a discount to metal.
Converting the price
- Per pound: multiply the price per kg by 0.4536, the unit commonly used for cobalt metal
- Per tonne: multiply the price per kg by 1,000
Stocks
Cobalt stocks
Listed companies with cobalt in their business, and their role in it.
| Company | Ticker | Exchange | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMOC Group | 3993 | HKG | Producer |
| Glencore | GLCNF | OTC | Producer |
| Vale | VALE | NYSE | By-product producer |
Stockatomics Terminal
More cobalt data in the Terminal
The Stockatomics Terminal has the full picture for cobalt, for subscribers.
Full price history with all import series
The benchmark beside the all-imports and premium-priced import prices, with volumes.
Supply scores and constraints
Supply concentration, elasticity and the constraints behind them.
Companies and production exposure
Which listed companies produce it, and how much of their value depends on it.
FAQ
Cobalt price FAQ
What is the price of cobalt per kg today?
The Stockatomics US benchmark price of cobalt is $56.81 per kg contained as of October 2026. Stockatomics updates it every month.
Why is cobalt used in batteries?
It stabilises the layered cathodes of many lithium-ion batteries, improving safety and lifespan, especially in nickel-rich chemistries.
Where does most cobalt come from?
The Democratic Republic of Congo mines most of the world's cobalt, Indonesia is the fastest-growing source, and China refines most of it.
Will electric vehicles need less cobalt?
Many already use less, or none: lithium iron phosphate batteries contain no cobalt, and nickel-rich cathodes have cut cobalt content. Total demand still grows with battery production.
How is the cobalt benchmark price calculated?
The Stockatomics benchmark for cobalt is a monthly US price in US dollars per kg contained, published every month and current as of October 2026. How the benchmark is calculated.
Sources
Sources
- U.S. trade data: the monthly cobalt price.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): the US critical minerals list.
- Company filings: the listed companies and their roles.