Minerals for a New Industrial Age

Efforts to transition to a renewable energy economy and the expansion of the world’s digital footprint are driving unprecedented demand for critical minerals. This growing scramble for minerals raises a host of challenges, including critical environmental, social, and governance risks for mineral-rich regions. At the same time, geopolitical competition between global powers and shifting trade policies are impacting trade flows and supply chains – and vice versa. Minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper sit at the intersection of security, development, and today’s digital economy, but much of the conversation remains driven by rhetoric rather than on-the-ground realities.

This project applies a clear-eyed lens to how mineral supply chains are evolving, with a focus on African countries, which collectively hold roughly 30% of the world’s mineral resources. From the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa, the project analyzes how U.S., Chinese, and multilateral investments are reshaping mining, processing, transport corridors, and manufacturing — and bringing new opportunities and risks. The project also explores how subnational actors like NGOs and community leaders are influencing outcomes around extraction and benefit sharing, distilling lessons for translating resource-based growth into durable institutional, social, and economic gains.