Cobalt is one of the most rare, expensive and sought-after metals on the market. But an investment in cobalt is far from foolproof. Investors should be wary of the dangerous and violent conditions that contribute to instability in cobalt acquisition before investing.
What is cobalt and how is it used?
Cobalt is a hard, metallic element used to manufacture batteries, magnets, paints and chemical catalysts. It’s rare, valuable and in increasingly high demand thanks to the rise of electric vehicles. Over two-thirds of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other major cobalt producers include Cuba, Russia, Australia and the Philippines.
Why invest in cobalt stocks?
It’s no secret that the tide of vehicle manufacturing is shifting. Thanks to environmental movements worldwide, electric vehicles have become less of a novelty and more commonplace than ever before. And what do electric vehicles need to function? Batteries. Cobalt is an essential part of the electric vehicle manufacturing process, as it’s a key component of lithium-ion batteries. Many industry experts expect the demand for cobalt to rise in the coming years with the projected impact of electric vehicles on the automotive market.
Risks of investing in cobalt
A major risk facing cobalt investors is the location of the majority of the world’s cobalt supply: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Historically, the DRC has been marked by political instability and civil unrest. Volatile political shifts have the potential to impact supply chains and security for cobalt operators in the DRC is far from guaranteed. The process of cobalt mining is also fraught with conditions that violate human rights. As a result of the unstable and violent conditions that surround cobalt acquisition, a number of companies that rely on it, including Tesla, are actively seeking a workaround to avoid overreliance on the difficult-to-procure metal. As electric vehicles become more popular, some manufacturers are working to develop methods of electric power that reduce or eliminate the need for cobalt. That said, such a solution is still many years from mass production. Industry experts suggest electric vehicles will continue to rely on cobalt.
Cobalt stocks
Most of the companies on this list don’t deal exclusively in cobalt — the mining and refining of cobalt is typically conducted in conjunction with another metal. Most cobalt stocks require an international brokerage account to trade, as few of these multinational companies trade on US exchanges. Of the following list, only Vale and Wheaton Precious Metals Corporation trade on the New York Stock Exchange. All others must be purchased over-the-counter or from international exchanges.
See how the following stocks are performing, and view details like market capitalization, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield.
Company summary
Vale S.A., together with its subsidiaries, produces iron ore and nickel in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and internationally. It operates through Iron Solutions and Energy Transition Materials segments. The company extracts and produces iron ore, iron ore pellets, briquettes, and other ferrous products; provides logistic related services; and operates mining complexes, railways, maritime terminals, and ports. It also produces nickel, copper, and cobalt, as well as by-products, such as gold, silver, platinum group metals, and other precious metals. In addition, the company engages in greenfield mineral exploration; invests in energy businesses through renewable sources; and operates pelletizing plants and distribution centers to support the delivery of iron ore. The company was formerly known as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and changed its name to Vale S.A. in May 2009. Vale S.A. was founded in 1942 and is headquartered in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. sells precious metals in North America, Europe, Africa, and South America. The company primarily produces and sells gold, silver, palladium, Platinum, and cobalt deposits. The company was formerly known as Silver Wheaton Corp. and changed its name to Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. in May 2017. Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Quest Critical Metals Inc., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties. It has an option agreement to acquire 100% interest in the East Bull Palladium Property comprising 992 hectares located in the Sudbury mining division, Ontario. The company was formerly known as Canadian Palladium Resources Inc. and changed its name to Quest Critical Metals Inc. in December 2023. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $1149455
Dividend yield: N/A%
Company summary
CMOC Group Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, beneficiation, smelting, and refining of base and rare metals. It operates in five segments: Molybdenum, Tungsten and Related Products; Niobium, Phosphorus and Related Products; Copper, Cobalt and Related Products; Metal Trading; and Others. The company offers copper, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, and niobium; and phosphate fertilizer. It also engages in the trading in base metals, and molybdenum and tungstenic products; selection, processing, refining, and sale of mineral products; import and export of goods and technology; consulting; asset and investment management; enterprise operation and management; technology services; logistics transportation; technical services and software development; and hotel operation activities. It operates in China, the Netherlands, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Chile, Malaysia, Thailand, and internationally. The company was formerly known as China Molybdenum Co., Ltd. and changed its name to CMOC Group Limited in June 2022. CMOC Group Limited was founded in 1969 and is based in Luoyang, the People's Republic of China.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $383761448960
P/E ratio: 22.5949
Dividend yield: 0.0145%
Company summary
Glencore plc engages in the production, refinement, processing, storage, transport, and marketing of metals and minerals, and energy products in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It operates in two segments, Marketing Activities and Industrial Activities. The company engages in the production and marketing of copper, cobalt, lead, nickel, zinc, chrome ore, ferrochrome, vanadium, aluminum, alumina, and iron ore; and coal, crude oil, refined products, and natural gas, as well as oil exploration/production and refining/distribution. It is also involved in marketing and distributing physical commodities sourced from third party producers to industrial consumers, including the battery, electronic, construction, automotive, steel, energy, and oil industries. In addition, the company provides financing, logistics, and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore plc was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $42399248384
PEG ratio: 13.4918
Dividend yield: 0.028%
Company summary
Go Metals Corp. engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Canada. The company explores for copper, cobalt, nickel, titanium, vanadium, gold, silver, uranium, and platinum group elements deposits. Its flagship projects are the HSP property that consists of 40 claims covering approximately an area of 2,000 hectares and 98 properties located in north of Havre-Saint Pierre, Quebec; and the 100% owned Monster property that consists of one block of 212 claims covering an area of approximately 43.3 square kilometers located in Yukon Territory, Canada. The company was formerly known as Go Cobalt Mining Corp. and changed its name to Go Metals Corp. in July 2019. Go Metals Corp. was incorporated in 2012 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $1333030
Dividend yield: N/A%
Company summary
Horizonte Minerals Plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and development of mineral projects in Brazil. The company primarily explores for nickel deposits, as well as cobalt deposits. It holds 100% interest in the Araguaia ferronickel; and the Vermelho Nickel-Cobalt project in the eastern part of the Carajás mining district. The company is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $876781
PEG ratio: 0
Dividend yield: N/A%
Company summary
Red Rock Resources Plc engages in the production and exploration of mineral resources in Kenya, Australia, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Africa. It explores for gold, copper, cobalt, and lithium deposits, as well as oil and gas properties. Red Rock Resources Plc was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $2720262
PEG ratio: 0
Dividend yield: N/A%
Company summary
Sherritt International Corporation engages in the mining, processing, refining, and sale of nickel and cobalt in North America, Cuba, Europe, Asia, Australia, and internationally. It operates through Metals, Power, Oil and Gas, and Corporate and Other segments. The company also produces and sells agricultural fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, granular ammonium sulfate, and crystalline ammonium sulfate; and sulfuric acid, zinc sulfides, and copper sulfides. In addition, it constructs and operates power generation facilities that provide electricity in Cuba. Further, the company offers ancillary drilling services. Its products are used in stainless steel, specialty steel, chemical, and welding applications. Sherritt International Corporation was incorporated in 1927 and is based in Toronto, Canada.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $62036084
PEG ratio: -0.02
Dividend yield: N/A%
Company summary
Umicore SA operates as a materials technology and recycling company in Belgium, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, North America, South America, and Africa. It operates through Battery Material, Catalysis, Recycling, and Specialty Materials segments. The Battery Material segment develops, manufactures, and markets cathode materials and its precursors for lithium-ion batteries, as well as related refining activities of cobalt and nickel chemicals. The Catalysis segment provides automotive catalysts for gasoline, and diesel light and heavy-duty diesel applications, including on-road and non-road vehicles; stationary catalysis for industrial emissions control; and produces precious metals-based compounds and catalysts for use in the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries, as well as fuel cell applications. The Recyling segment is involved in precious metals refining and management, jewelry and industrial metals, and battery recycling solutions; and treating of complex waste streams containing precious and other specialty metals. This segment also produces precious metals-based materials for high-tech glass production and electronics. The Specialty Materials segments offers cobalt and specialty materials, electro-optic materials, and metal deposition solutions; produces and distributes cobalt and nickel products; and supplies products for precious and non-precious metal-based electroplating and PVD coating, as well as germanium-based material solutions for the space, optics and electronics sectors. The company was formerly known as Union Minière du Haut Katanga and changed its name to Umicore SA in 2001. Umicore SA was founded in 1805 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Historical performance
Stock information
Market capitalization: $3776822016
P/E ratio: 32.0408
PEG ratio: 2.11
Dividend yield: 0.0324%
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Cobalt plays an important role in our modern society, contributing to the production of batteries, magnets and chemical catalysts. While its primary production lines in the DRC are far from stable, experts believe we will continue to need cobalt to produce electric vehicles in the coming years. To invest in cobalt, you’ll likely need an international brokerage account. Compare your platform options to find the brokerage that best fits your needs.
Frequently asked questions
Most rechargeable lithium-ion batteries contain cobalt. This includes batteries for smartphones, tablets, laptops and electric vehicles.
Over the past 10 years, the spot price for one pound of cobalt has fluctuated between $12 and $40.
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Shannon Terrell is a lead writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet and a former editor at Finder, specializing in personal finance. Her writing and analysis on investing and banking has been featured in Bloomberg, Global News, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates and Black Enterprise. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and English literature from the University of Toronto Mississauga.
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