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Do you remember the periodic table from your school science classes? Those colorful squares filled with strange symbols and numbers once seemed like just another lesson to memorize. What appeared once purely academic has become the invisible backbone of global power. Lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and rare earths are no longer just elements, they are strategic resources fueling electric vehicles, smartphones, clean energy, and even military technologies.

This is the new battleground. Power is no longer measured solely by trade volumes, GDP growth, armies or borders, it is increasingly defined by critical resource dependencies. The race is fiercest between the United States and China, each aware that whoever controls these materials gains the ultimate edge in technology, energy, and security.

 

China currently dominates the production and processing of many rare earths, giving it immense leverage over global supply chains.  In Europe, the Critical Raw Materials Act signals efforts to secure domestic extraction, processing, and recycling capacity to reduce over-reliance on dominant suppliers.

 

In this global race, Ukraine’s mineral wealth has become a geopolitical lever. Through agreements with the United States, access to these critical resources is now traded for peace and security guarantees, marking the rise of a new form of mineral diplomacy. Similar frameworks are being explored in Africa, where mineral-rich nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo are turning their resource partnerships into drivers of, development, industrialization, peace and stability.

 

Who controls the flow of these materials? Who can withstand disruption? Who can turn reliance into leverage? These questions now shape global strategy, industry and climate policy. The periodic table you once memorized as a classroom chart has become a map of power, and the stakes have never been higher.

THE GLOBAL RACE FOR CRITICAL AND STRATEGIC MINERALS

Competition to Shape Global Supply Chains for Critical Minerals and Green Products

 

Hung Tran

 

As the world races toward clean energy, access to critical minerals has become the new frontier of geopolitical competition. This paper reveals how China came to dominate the global value chain, from mining to battery and EV production, while the U.S. and EU scramble to “de-risk” their dependence. It explores how trade tensions, overcapacity, and green industrial strategies are reshaping the balance of power in the age of decarbonization... Read more

 

The Energy Transition Amidst Global Uncertainties: A Focus on Critical Minerals

 

Rim Berahab

 

The path to net zero won’t just be green, it will be mineral-intensive. This paper explores how the global energy transition could trigger new dependencies and price shocks if demand for critical minerals outpace supply. It argues that only through coordinated climate policies, stronger governance standards, and open trade can the world avoid replacing oil vulnerability with a new form of mineral insecurity... Read more

 

“When Elephants Fight”: Africa, Critical Minerals, and Emerging Value Chains

 

Sabrine Emrane, Oussama Tayebi

 

This paper analyzes how rising tensions, between the U.S. and China, over Taiwan, and in Ukraine are reshaping countries’ strategies to secure critical minerals. It highlights the global shift toward “friendshoring,” relocation, and recycling as states race to reduce vulnerability and reclaim control over essential resources... Read more

 

(FR) Critical Minerals: Positioning Africa in the New Global Order

 

Oussama Tayebi, Sabrine Emran

 

As supply chains are realigning and great power competition intensifies, Africa is emerging as a key player in the race for critical minerals. This paper explores how countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo are climbing the electric vehicle value chain, turning geopolitical rivalry into an opportunity for industrial advancement. A timely look at Africa’s potential role in reshaping the world’s green economy... Read more

 

Securing Mineral Resources: Europe’s Strategic Imperative

 

Yves Jegourel

 

This paper examines Europe’s challenge in securing industrial supplies while fostering value creation in producing countries. It explores the synergies and constraints of public and private policies, highlighting the need for international coordination to reduce strategic dependencies and support a sustainable green transition... Read more

 

(FR) Shaping Morocco’s Future: A Strategy for Critical and Strategic Minerals

 

Oussama Tayebi, Sabrine Emran

 

Morocco sits at the crossroads of the global energy transition, supply-chain realignments, and national industrial ambitions. This paper examines how the kingdom can leverage its rich reserves of phosphates, cobalt, copper, and other critical minerals to become a key player in the green transition. It outlines the need for a national strategy, regional cooperation across Africa and the Global South, and active participation in international governance to capture industrial value and secure Morocco’s strategic position in global mineral markets... Read more

 

Africa's Minerals Will Shape the Future of Global Power

 

Otaviano Canuto, Sabrine Emran

 

As the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies, Africa’s vast mineral wealth has become a central arena in the global race for critical resources. This paper examines how countries like the DRC and South Africa could leverage their reserves of cobalt, manganese, platinum, and more to gain lasting development benefits. It highlights the strategic, economic, and ethical dimensions of mineral security, showing how infrastructure, processing, and partnerships could turn Africa into a pivotal player in the green-energy transition and global power balance... Read more

 

Mineral Diplomacy: Japan Strengthens Ties with Africa

 

Redouan Najah

 

As demand for lithium, cobalt, and other critical minerals surges, Japan is quietly positioning itself in Africa to secure the resources vital for its energy transition and industrial leadership. This piece explores how Tokyo, through JOGMEC and strategic investments in countries like the DRC, Namibia, and Angola, is building long-term partnerships to stabilize supply chains for batteries, electric vehicles, and high-tech manufacturing, demonstrating a subtle yet decisive approach to mineral diplomacy... Read more

 

KEY MINERALS MARKET ANALYSES AND STRATEGIC TRENDS

The lithium (Li) Market

 

Yves Jegourel

 

Despite soaring demand for electric vehicles and clean technologies, lithium prices raise questions about the stability of this strategic market. This paper unpacks the apparent paradox, showing how price volatility, speculative cycles, and uneven production costs could shape the future of lithium mining and investment. It reveals why today’s price slump may carry long-term consequences for the global energy transition... Read more

 

(FR) From Aluminium (Al) to Iron Ore (Fe) : Strengths and Weaknesses of the Chinese Giant

 

Yves Jegourel

 

China stands as the undisputed leader in global aluminum and steel production, but its industrial might comes with hidden vulnerabilities. This paper by reveals the structural risks behind Beijing’s dominance: exposure to volatile domestic demand, heavy environmental costs, and deep dependence on imported iron ore and bauxite. A sharp analysis of the constraints China must manage to sustain its metallurgical power... Read more

 

Gold Prices : A Reflection of a World in Upheaval

 

Yves Jegourel

 

Gold has soared to unprecedented levels, surpassing $4,000 per ounce amid rising geopolitical tensions, soaring global debt, and shifts in U.S. monetary policy. This piece examines how safe-haven demand, central bank purchases, and dollar depreciation have fueled record prices, reflecting a world in flux. A timely analysis of how macroeconomic and geopolitical forces are reshaping the global commodities landscape... Read more

 

PODCASTS

(FR) Soybeans vs. Rare Earths: The Silent War Between Washington and Beijing

 

In this podcast, we explore how a single seed became a global power lever, connecting Midwestern American farmers to Chinese factories. Amid food security, trade rivalries, and strategic dependencies, this story reveals how food and natural resources are reshaping the dynamics of the 21st-century power dynamics...Listen

(FR) Critical Minerals: A Matter of Rivalries, Ambitions, and Geopolitical Alliances

 

In this podcast, we examine the surge in demand for critical minerals, discuss its impact on global supply chains and the risks posed by concentrated extraction and refining capacities. Our guests explore initiatives to diversify supply sources and highlight the economic opportunities for Africa, which could play a key role in this dynamic...Listen

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