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: Mining
Tajikistan Says Two Chinese Citizens Killed in Latest Attacks on Afghan Border
Tajikistan on Monday said two more Chinese citizens died in new attacks on the border with Afghanistan last week, as it urged Kabul to ensure security in the region. The former Soviet republic shares a lengthy mountainous border with Afghanistan and ...
Three Chinese Citizens Killed in Tajik-Afghan Border Clash
Three Chinese workers in Tajikistan were killed in an attack launched from Afghanistan near the border, Tajik authorities said Thursday. Tajikistan has strained relations with the Taliban in Afghanistan and several border clashes have broken out in recent months.
Australia-U.S. Deal to Challenge China Rare Earths Reign: Mining Boss
China's total domination of rare earths production could soon be challenged, a leading miner said Wednesday after the United States struck a breakthrough minerals deal with Australia. U.S. President Donald Trump signed a deal this week with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, ...
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.
Zambian Farmers Sue Chinese Mining Firms Over Toxic Spill
By Clément Varanges Almost 200 people affected by a major toxic spill at a northern Zambian mine have filed an $80-billion lawsuit against the Chinese firm that owns the mine, according to legal documents seen by AFP Wednesday. ...
China’s Big Bet on Indonesian Nickel Faces a Harsh Reckoning
For years, China raced to secure the critical minerals needed to fuel its economy and the global clean energy transition. Nickel was supposed to be one of the surest bets. Now, one of China’s largest investments in Indonesia’s nickel industry is unraveling—and with it, some of the ...
China-Linked Mines in Myanmar Blamed for Toxic Pollution Flowing Into Thailand
By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee and Sally Jensen A sprawling new mine is gouged into the lush rolling hills of northeast Myanmar, where civil war has weakened the government's already feeble writ, and pollution levels are rising downstream in Thailand. ...
China Carefully Assembling a Deep-Sea Mining Strategy
By Amelie Bottolier-Depois with Mary Yang in Beijing In a world hungry for crucial resources, China may not be poised to start deep-sea mining but it is planting seeds for such operations in a meticulously planned economic and geopolitical strategy.
India to Work with Central Asian Countries on Rare Earths
India has reportedly reached a collaboration agreement with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan for the exploration and development of rare earth minerals. The agreement, which was finalized at the recent India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi, follows recent reports that ...
Kiribati Eyes Deep-Sea Mining Deal With China
Pacific nation Kiribati says it is exploring a deep-sea mining partnership with China, dangling access to a vast patch of the Pacific Ocean harboring coveted metals and minerals. Beijing has been ramping up efforts to court Pacific nations sitting on lucrative ...
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
Uncertain economic outlooks for key markets and the erupting trade war are disrupting markets for critical minerals. While prices for some tech-related minerals are spiking as countries scramble to secure supplies, others are slumping. The latter is due to ongoing economic uncertainty in China and Monday’s plunge ...
Nigeria’s Lithium Boom: Chinese Buyers, Local Struggles, and a Global Race
By Leslie Fauvel At an open-cast mine, Abdullahi Ibrahim Danjija carefully chisels away at a hunk of whitish rock before stuffing a sack with the pieces that break off the walls. In the course of ...