Entreprise Générale du Cobalt

What Entreprise Générale du Cobalt does

Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) is a state-owned enterprise (société d'État) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, incorporated in 2019 by decree as a wholly-owned subsidiary of GECAMINES (Générale des Carrières et des Mines). It was granted an exclusive monopoly to purchase, process, and commercialize all cobalt produced by artisanal miners in the DRC, and operates under the country's 2018 Mining Code framework and the November 2018 decree classifying cobalt as a strategic mineral. EGC oversees approximately 1,500 km² of artisanal mining zones in the Congolese Copperbelt (Lualaba Province), where DRC produces roughly 67% of global cobalt.

EGC's core activity is vertically integrated cobalt supply: it supervises artisanal extraction in approved zones, purchases ore from local cooperatives, processes it locally into cobalt hydroxide, and commercializes both cobalt and copper cathode byproducts to international markets. Its three product lines are cobalt production oversight, exclusive purchase and commercialization, and blockchain-based traceability covering 100% of lots from extraction through final sale. The traceability platform is the company's primary technology differentiator, designed to satisfy OECD Due Diligence Guidance and international responsible-sourcing requirements from automotive and battery customers.

EGC is a B2G/B2B monopoly seller rather than a commercial enterprise in the conventional sense. It does not disclose pricing and negotiates commercial agreements directly with international trading houses and end-users. Its principal commercial partners are Trafigura (global marketing and Lobito Atlantic Railway logistics), Mercuria Energy Trading (first buyer and Kasulo joint development), and EVelution Energy (US processing to cobalt sulphate/metal targeting EV batteries). The company also partners with PACT (NGO) for due-diligence implementation and with ERG Africa to formalize artisanal mining on ERG-owned industrial concessions. Headcount is 51–100 employees across headquarters in Kolwezi and an administrative office in Kinshasa.

Name

Entreprise Générale du Cobalt

Legal name

Entreprise Générale du Cobalt SA

Website

https://egcobalt.cd

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) is a DRC state-owned enterprise and GECAMINES subsidiary with the exclusive monopoly to purchase, process, and commercialize all artisanal cobalt in DRC. It operates 1,500 km² of mining zones with blockchain traceability, supplying international trading houses and EV-battery processors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cobalt Mining and Trading

NAICS

Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141), Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing (3314), Primary Metal Manufacturing (331)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000), Primary Smelting & Refining Of Nonferrous Metals (3330), Wholesale-Metals & Minerals (No Petroleum) (5050)

akta.pro primary industry

Cobalt Mining & Refining (IMAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Critical Minerals Trading, Offtake & Marketing (IMAKAFAJ), Battery-Grade Chemical Processing (LiOH/Li2CO3, Ni/Co Sulfates, Mn Sulfate) (IMAKAFAI), Copper Anode/Cathode Production & Handling (IMAKADAG), ESG, Traceability & Certification Services (Responsible Sourcing) (IMAKAFAN), Battery & Critical Minerals Trading (Lithium, Cobalt, Graphite, Manganese, Rare Earths) (IMAKAJAE)

Keywords

• Artisanal cobalt mining
• Cobalt hydroxide processing
• Blockchain mineral traceability
• Responsible mineral sourcing
• Cobalt commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Kinshasa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cobalt Monopoly Operations: EGC holds exclusive monopoly rights to purchase, process, and commercialize artisanal cobalt in DRC. The company buys cobalt from artisanal miners through local cooperatives and sells processed cobalt (cobalt hydroxide) to international markets.
2. Copper Cathode Sales: As a byproduct of cobalt processing, EGC also commercializes copper cathodes extracted alongside cobalt, with shipments destined for US, UAE, and Saudi Arabia markets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EGC operates the state-mandated monopoly for artisanal cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, purchasing cobalt from artisanal miners through local cooperatives, processing it into cobalt hydroxide, and selling it to international trading houses and downstream battery/energy customers. The company also commercializes copper cathodes produced as a byproduct of cobalt processing, with shipments to the US, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. All lots are tracked through a blockchain-based traceability system covering 100% of production.

Product overview

EGC operates as a unified platform managing the entire artisanal cobalt supply chain in the DRC. The company combines three core integrated services: Production de Cobalt (supervision of artisanal extraction), Achat et Commercialisation (exclusive purchasing monopoly and international sales), and Traçabilité et Transparence (blockchain-based traceability). EGC transforms extracted ore locally into cobalt hydroxide and exports copper cathodes, functioning as a vertically integrated state enterprise mandated to formalize and ethicalize artisanal cobalt mining while ensuring 100% traceability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Production de Cobalt (Cobalt Production)

Quantifiable outcome

• First 1,000 tonnes of fully traceable artisanal cobalt produced in November 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• EVelution EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Strategic partnership to establish a direct cobalt supply chain from DRC to USA. EGC ensures origin and traceability, Trafigura provides logistics/commercial capabilities, and EVelution processes cobalt into high-value products at Arizona facility. Partners exploring local refining capacity development and possible Congolese minority participation.
• Mercuria Energy Trading SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026MOU to formalize and develop the Kasulo mining site at Kolwezi, aiming to establish a 'gold standard' for artisanal mining. The partnership covers health/safety, human rights, environmental management, and end-to-end traceability. Mercuria provides financing access while EGC provides operational oversight.
• Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026MoU signed at Mining Indaba to formalize artisanal mining on ERG-owned sites in Lualaba Province. EGC receives mining rights over ERG exploitation areas. Pilot project aims to improve working conditions, reduce human rights risks, strengthen social cohesion, and ensure supply chain traceability.
• TrafiguracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Strategic commercial partnership where Trafigura markets EGC cobalt globally and provides logistics expertise. The partnership utilizes the Lobito Atlantic Railway for efficient transport from DRC to Atlantic ports. Trafigura secured $753M in DFC/DBSA financing for LAR expansion.
• GécaminescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Gécamines and Mercuria announced a joint venture in 2025, which preceded Mercuria's commercial relationship with EGC.
• PACT (NGO)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational NGO partnership for due diligence and responsible sourcing implementation in the artisanal cobalt sector.
• GécaminescoreOthersEGC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gécamines (Générale des Carrières et des Mines), DRC's state mining company. Gécamines established EGC in 2019 to oversee artisanal cobalt operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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