Cobalt is a chemical element found naturally only in chemically combined form. Hard, lustrous, and silver-gray, cobalt has been used in the production of jewelry and paints.
It is also used in the preparation of magnetic, and high-strength alloys. There are a number of uses of cobalt in industrial applications. When cobalt is alloyed with other metals, strong magnets are created.
It is obtained as a by-product of nickel and copper mining activities. Cobaltite, erythrite, glaucodot and skutterudite are the main ores of cobalt. Cobalt is also found in iron-nickel meteorites.
The copper belt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia yields most of the cobalt metal mined worldwide.
The World Map of Cobalt Producing Countries shows the list of the major countries that produce large quantities of cobalt. As the data in the map shows, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest cobalt producing country; in 2010, the country produced 45000 metric tonnes of cobalt.
Zambia is the second-largest cobalt producing nation followed by China, Russia, Australia, Cuba, Canada, New Caledonia, Morocco, and Brazil.
The Mukondo Mountain project in Katanga is believed to be the richest cobalt reserve in the world. Also there are about one million tons of cobalt in the United States.
Cobalt is one of the most vital elements that is very important to human life and health.
WORLD MAJOR PRODUCERS OF COBALT-2010
| COUNTRY | PRODUCTION IN METRIC TONNES |
| Congo (Kinshasa) | 45000 |
| Zambia | 11000 |
| China | 6200 |
| Russia | 6100 |
| Australia | 4600 |
| Cuba | 3500 |
| Canada | 2500 |
| New Caledonia | 1700 |
| Morocco | 1500 |
| Brazil | 1500 |
| Other countries | 4700 |
| World total(rounded) | 88000 |