After several years of declining funding, the African end of the Belt and Road Initiative seems to be roaring back. The newest Griffith University/Green Development Finance Center data on the Belt and Road Initiative shows that engagement with Africa jumped by 395%, while a few big projects boosted engagement in Nigeria alone more than twelvefold.
These shifts indicate a window of opportunity for African electrification. 60% of Africans still ...
Category: Mining
U.S. Sanctions Hong Kong Firms Over Illegal Mining in the DR Congo
The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed penalties on a pair of Hong Kong-based companies for "destabilizing activities in the DRC" that involved the purchase of illegally sourced minerals. The companies were allegedly operating in an area near the far eastern city ...
New Video Surfaces of Congolese Soldiers Beating Miners at the Behest of Chinese Nationals
The Congolese human rights NGO Justicia Asbl released a shocking video on Sunday that was purportedly recorded on July 23rd, showing Congolese FARDC soldiers beating a trio of local miners with their hands bound at the behest of Chinese nationals. The incident ...
Critical Minerals Weekly Digest
This is a free preview of the upcoming Critical Minerals Weekly Digest, part of the new CGSP Intelligence service launching in Summer 2025. This week’s developments underscore a clear shift in the critical minerals landscape, from fragmented exploration to full-spectrum geopolitical ...
China Corners the Market on a Little-Known but Crucial Tech Mineral
A Chinese mining and materials giant, Sinomine Resource Group, is ramping up its dominance in the critical minerals sector, with a $400 million investment in Zimbabwe for the construction of the world’s second cesium smelting plant. The move positions Sinomine ...
Q&A: What Lessons Can Zimbabwe Learn From Indonesia in Its Quest to Move up the Lithium Value Chain?
Indonesia is often cited as a model for countries seeking to extract more value from their mineral wealth. This is because Jakarta was a pioneer in using export bans to compel investors to invest in the value-added processing of the resource before export. In 2020, Indonesia banned ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Trump Courts West Africa to Challenge China’s Critical Minerals Dominance
By Frankie Taggart with Becca Milfeld and Lucie Peytermann in Dakar U.S. President Donald Trump hailed West Africa's rich natural resources as he hosted five of its leaders Wednesday for a White House summit aimed at fostering trade to counter the ...
China Threatens Myanmar Militias on Rare Earths
China has reportedly threatened to stop buying rare earth minerals from areas in Myanmar held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) an ethnic militia battling Myanmar’s ruling military junta. The threat comes as KIA and junta forces have been fighting for control of the town of Bhamo, ...
Indonesia’s Over-Reliance on China is a Warning for Other Global South Countries
Indonesia thought it was building a future. Instead, it built someone else’s supply chain. Last month, China imposed a 20% anti-dumping tariff on stainless steel from Indonesia, accusing Jakarta of undercutting prices and threatening Chinese producers. The penalty will remain ...
Lithium Prices Are Crashing, But Some Producers Are Doubling Down. Why?
There is a puzzling shift unfolding in the global lithium market. Prices have collapsed by over 70% from their 2022 highs to around $12,000 per tonne, and yet, against all market logic, some Chinese lithium giants are not retreating. Instead, ...
Lessons for Europe From China’s Critical Minerals Strategy in Africa
While the U.S., India, and countries in the Persian Gulf are all moving quickly to establish new critical mineral supply chains, the European Union is struggling to follow suit, particularly in Africa. The EU currently lacks a cohesive policy framework that ...
Analysts Doubt Congo’s Cobalt Export Restrictions Will Do Much to Boost Prices in the Long Term
The Democratic Republic of the Congo extended a four-month export ban on cobalt exports in a bid to further constrain supply and boost prices of the critical metal that's used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries. The government hopes that by keeping additional ...
China, U.S. Ink Rare Earth Deal; More Trade Pacts Coming
The United States and China have signed a long-awaited framework agreement aimed at restarting rare earth mineral shipments and easing trade tensions ahead of a critical July tariff deadline, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed this week. The deal, finalized ...