The United States wants to build a new global critical minerals supply chain through a new alliance that aims to stabilize prices and reduce dependence on China. Africa sits at the center of this shift, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where geopolitics is increasingly shaping mining deals and partnerships.
CGSP Africa Editor Géraud Neema joins Eric & Cobus to break down the U.S. proposal and why China's dominance in refining and processing remains a major constraint, raising doubts about whether a minerals strategy focused mainly on extraction can succeed.
📌 Topics covered in this episode:
- Washington's push to build a China-free critical minerals alliance
- JD Vance's proposal for price floors and a minerals trading bloc
- What US stockpiling plans mean for global supply chains
- How Africa fits into the US critical minerals strategy and security goals
- The DRC's pivot toward Washington and the impact on Chinese miners
- Why refining and processing remain China's biggest advantage
- The risk of a fragmented global minerals market and hardened blocs
- What a new critical minerals cold war means for the Global South
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