Uranium contained in DRC cobalt, in which it naturally occurs as a trace element in the copperbelt region, travels unrecorded through processing and export, as the country has no formal testing infrastructure in place. Other regions, such as Australia, deliberately recover uranium as a byproduct of copper mining.  The uranium contained in the DRC’s cobalt supplies is estimated to be equivalent to only 1–2% of Africa's total uranium mined supply, a negligible portion of global supply, according to Benchmark's Uranium and Cobalt Services. This puts into context a recent report highlighting the volumes contained in cobalt exports from the country.

Slow progress at two lithium sulphate production facilities is likely to force the Zimbabwean government’s hand in how a lithium concentrate export ban planned for the end of this year is handled. The government made the resumption of suspended hard rock lithium exports conditional on firm commitments from producers on bringing lithium sulphate production in-country, with a nominal deadline of January 2027, which a number of mines appear unlikely to achieve.

Following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the uranium market and price environment remained muted, as reactor shutdowns vaporised demand faster than mine supply could adjust. Now, however, the uranium market is entering a structural deficit, as assessed by Benchmark's Uranium Service. The market is already in a marginal deficit for 2026. As nuclear power plays a growing role in the roll-out of data centres and other industries, this deficit is forecast to grow, and will continue to expand unless new supply can be brought online.