Standards & Assurance
In 2024, 82% of global refined cobalt supply was certified against RMI RMAP Standard (2024)*.
Data: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
*Note: volume basis. The refined supply accounted in this analysis relates only to final refined cobalt products (e.g., metal, sulphate, etc.) and not crude cobalt hydroxide, to avoid double-counting.
In 2024, 77% of global cobalt mined supply was subject to ‘RMI RMAP-conformant’ due diligence by refineries**, with 83% of this assessed material originating from assets located in the DRC (2024).
Data: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
**Although the RMI assessment applies to refiners, all the cobalt sourced, including mined material, is subject to due diligence by these refiners which is verified in the scope of the RMI evaluation. Through detailed understanding of the supply chain, Benchmark has been able to quantify the amount of mined cobalt that falls within the scope of the assessment. In 2024, 77% of global cobalt mined supply was subject to ‘RMI conformant’ due diligence practices, with 83% of this assessed material originating from assets located in the DRC.
2024 mined cobalt supply by third party assessment status %
Data: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
*Note: Glencore’s Copper Mark certified assets are included in the 2024 “Assessment in process” category as they were awarded the certification in 2025.
Cobalt Institute encourages all stakeholders to support a landscape of Sustainability Standards and Assurance Schemes that enables all companies in the cobalt value chain globally to progress in alignment with evolving regulations and expectations.
The cobalt industry operates within a landscape of Sustainability Standards and Assurance Schemes (‘Standards’). Although standards cannot replace a company’s environmental and human rights due diligence in its own operations and business relationships, they play a role in strengthening a company’s management systems and supporting continuous improvement by providing a formally defined benchmark and an external review relative to it.
Cobalt Institute is supportive of Standards that are:
Designed to meet the needs of all cobalt supply chain stakeholders
Governed through balanced multi-stakeholder structures
Credible, ambitious, practical, and implementable
Aligned with international authoritative frameworks
Cobalt Institute’s members undertake third-party assurance against Standards—including, amongst others, the Responsible Minerals Initiative, IRMA and the Copper Mark. Many align with international frameworks including the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Principles, and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.
