“The refined cobalt market will fall into a 3,000 tonne deficit this year following seven years of overcapacity and oversupply. CRU anticipates prices to increase onward into 2017.”

“With this growth will come further disruption to the traditional market structures that have developed in cobalt over the last 30 years. In short, a new, more secure supply chain for the modern era will need to be created, a task that includes new mines, new refineries, and a more transparent supply chain.”

“The shift to electric cars will come faster and in a more pronounced way, fuelled by the diesel demise in Europe, battery technology advancements and regulation in China and Europe.”

“Anybody who has cobalt outside the DRC is in a better situation because carmakers are very worried about their supply chains. The amount of cobalt being used in electric cars could easily double in the next eight to 15 years. Even in the most conservative assumptions, you’re looking at maybe a 20 percent gap between supply and demand for cobalt by 2025.”