Cobalt mattes are intermediate smelter products that still contain significant impurities and are not yet refined to a usable metal form. Unwrought cobalt is the refined primary metal in ingot, pellet, or similar form. Both fall under 810520, but the distinction matters for valuation and for determining whether further processing is required before the material can be used in battery or alloy applications.

The US government has designated cobalt a critical mineral, which means supply-chain disruptions attract heightened policy attention. Importers should monitor export restrictions from major producing countries and consider whether their supply chains are exposed to concentration risk, particularly given that a significant share of global cobalt refining is concentrated in a small number of countries.