When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Copper
Copper’s Bull Run Faces Reckoning as China Weighs Production Caps
There's been a dramatic turnaround in the price of copper on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, with the red metal suffering its largest one-day loss in three weeks on Tuesday. What's unusual here is that just last week, prices of the red ...
Flurry of China-Global South Diplomacy
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday, 14 October. It was one of several meetings on the sidelines of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women earlier this week, where Xi called for greater gender equity in global governance.
Trump Says U.S. ‘Wants to Help China, Not Hurt It’
President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States wants to help China, not hurt it, striking a conciliatory tone days after threatening an additional 100 percent tariff on the world's second-largest economy. Trump's statements on Friday as well as his threat ...
China Warns Mexico Over Escalating Trade Fight as Tariff, Anti-Dumping Actions Mount
The Chinese government warned Mexico that it would “take all necessary measures” to protect its interests in a rapidly escalating trade dispute between the two countries. China's powerful Ministry of Commerce issued a blunt statement on Friday that condemned Mexico's decision ...
Chinese Copper Miner and Processor Faces Multiple Environmental Lawsuits From Zambian Communities
Lawyers representing communities and civil society groups in Zambia have opened settlement talks with a Chinese-owned copper mining and processing company, over one of the country’s worst toxic spills, raising the possibility of an out-of-court resolution in multiple cases that could reshape corporate accountability in Africa.
Critical Minerals Weekly Digest: Global Supply Chains Reshaped by Tariffs, Bilateral Deals, and Strategic R&D
This is a free preview of the upcoming Critical Minerals Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. Global critical mineral markets this week reflected the mounting intersection of geopolitics, industrial policy, and resource nationalism. China ...
BHP Books Rise in Profit on Back of Chinese Copper Demand
Australian mining giant BHP on Tuesday reported a bump in yearly profits, as China's appetite for copper helped to counter slumping prices for iron ore and coal. Chief executive Mike Henry trumpeted a strong year "marked by record production", with annual ...
China’s Copper Smelting Boom Backfires Amid Global Supply Strains
Over the past decade, China positioned itself as a leader in copper refining, accounting for more than half of global capacity. Its strategy designed to secure control over key critical minerals meant to power everything from clean energy grids to electric vehicles, defense equipment, and construction ...
Copper, Pragmatism, and Going Green: A History of Chile-China Relations
By John Bartlett Chile was China’s first ally in South America, and the two have become important trade partners. Now, relations are moving into a new phase of green cooperation and investment. It has been ...
U.S. Mining Start-Up Makes Huge Copper Discovery in Zambia
A California-based mining start-up, KoBold Metals, announced that it had discovered Zambia's largest copper deposit in a century. KoBold president Josh Goldman said on Monday the company's Mingomba mine in northern Zambia is poised to become one of the world's top ...