The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals

The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals

The transition to clean energy has sparked a new global scramble — not for oil, but for lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements. These critical minerals, essential for electric vehicles and renewable technologies, are becoming the foundation deposit pulsa Naga169 of 21st-century geopolitics.

China currently dominates the supply chain, controlling more than 70% of rare earth processing capacity. Western nations, alarmed by this dependency, are racing to secure alternative sources. The U.S., Canada, and Australia have launched the Minerals Security Partnership to diversify production and reduce strategic risk.

Africa and South America — home to vast deposits — are at the center of this new race. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, debates over ethical mining and Chinese investment highlight tensions between development and exploitation. In Bolivia and Chile, governments are asserting greater control over lithium production, emphasizing national sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has emerged as a major player by banning raw nickel exports to encourage domestic refining — a move reshaping global supply chains.

“The world’s next great power struggle won’t be about oil fields but about battery metals,” said energy analyst Fatih Birol.

As demand surges, critical minerals are redefining diplomacy, trade, and environmental policy. Control over these resources may determine not only who leads the green revolution — but who owns the future.

By john

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