Critical minerals: The new oil
As technological advancement continues at pace across AI, defence and everything in between, demand for critical minerals such as rare earth elements (REEs) and copper, lithium, aluminium, nickel and cobalt (collectively known as CLANCs) has skyrocketed. Yet their supply is incredibly concentrated, making access a high stakes priority for many economies. China has invested heavily over recent decades in everything from mineral processing plants to STEM graduates and has become the dominant supplier of critical minerals.
With spot prices recently trebling amidst trade tensions and defence…
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