Cobalt ores and concentrates

HS code 260500 covers cobalt ores and concentrates, which are essential raw materials for the production of cobalt metal and cobalt-based alloys. Cobalt is a critical element in various industries, including aerospace, electronics, and renewable energy technologies. As a strategic metal, the global demand for cobalt has been steadily increasing, driven by the growing need for rechargeable batteries and other high-tech applications.

Cobalt ores and concentrates are typically extracted from mining operations, where the cobalt-bearing minerals are separated from the host rock through a series of physical and chemical processes. The primary production techniques involve crushing, grinding, and beneficiation methods, such as flotation, magnetic separation, or hydrometallurgical processing, to concentrate the cobalt content and remove impurities.

The main inputs required for the production of cobalt ores and concentrates include mining equipment, such as excavators, crushers, and grinding mills, as well as reagents and chemicals used in the beneficiation and processing stages. Additionally, energy sources, such as electricity or fuel, are necessary to power the mining and processing operations.

The primary output of HS code 260500 is cobalt ores and concentrates, which are then further processed to produce refined cobalt metal or cobalt-containing compounds. These outputs are consumed by various downstream industries, including the production of 810520 Cobalt, unwrought, cobalt powders under HS code 810520, as well as the manufacture of 284050 Cobalt oxides and hydroxides; commercial cobalt oxides under HS code 284050.