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The race for critical minerals in Africa: a blessing or another resource curse?
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The race for critical minerals in Africa: a blessing or another resource curse?

James Boafo, Jacob Obodai, Eric Stemn and Philip Nti Nkrumah
Resources policy, Vol.93, 105046
2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105046
Appears in  Open Access via Read & Publish Agreements
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CC BY V4.0,  Open Access

Abstract

Africa clean energy climate change critical minerals lithium
There is currently an exponential growth in the global demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, to meet clean energy and decarbonisation objectives. However, sustainable supply of these minerals is at risk due to declining ore grades, available extraction and processing technologies, socio-environmental concerns, and geopolitical challenges. Africa hosts substantial critical minerals resources, and the continent is currently being positioned as a major global player in the critical minerals supply chain. As a result, there is a rush for Africa’s critical minerals through investment in exploration activities and license acquisition by foreign mining companies. Drawing on the case of lithium mining in Africa, we analyse the urgency claims of critical minerals in the African context and assess the inherent socio-ecological impacts. We found that the urgency claims of Africa’s critical minerals largely serve the geostrategic and economic interests of western countries and China. The rush for Africa’s critical minerals is producing significant socio-ecological impacts, including driving loss of rich biodiversity, displacement of communities and breeding new forms of illegalities in resource sector. Based on our findings, we argue that the current race for Africa’s critical minerals does not serve the interest of Africa and is likely to create adverse long-term socio-ecological impacts rather than benefits for the continent unless appropriate sustainable measures, including strategic planning, are carefully considered, and fully implemented. Our findings have implications for policies seeking to promote sustainable mining in Africa, and elsewhere with similar challenges. •There is a high global demand for critical minerals resources.•Africa hosts substantial critical minerals resources.•The rush for Africa’s critical minerals is producing significant socio-ecological impacts.

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