Mineral bounties

THERE is a new(ish) game in town and it is called the scramble for ‘critical’ minerals. In a world dominated by microchips and digital gadgets, and in which capitalism is greening itself through the so-called energy transition, minerals like lithium, silicon and gallium are more coveted than ever. The desire to control critical minerals is increasingly at the heart of geopolitical conflict.

In large parts of the post-colonial world, natural resource endowment has been a curse for local populations rather than a blessing.