2025 Sees Global Powers Stake Claims

• This year, the US signed a critical minerals deal layered with a security pact with DRC.
• Trump’s agreement signals a new scramble for Africa is driven by growing demand of critical minerals.
• At the moment, China holds the lion’s share of Africa’s critical minerals deposits.

Mining in Africa has always been a proverbial puzzle, it should be a simple equation, riches of mines equals wealth of a nation, it has not been so for Africa. While it has long been known that the West plays a major role in the ‘less than fair’ acquisition of Africa’s mineral wealth, never before has it been as political as in 2025, it is scramble for Africa all over again.

The clearest political move to seize Africa’s mineral wealth is most evident in the most recent deal between the US and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On one hand, you can argue that the DRC asked for it, on the other, the US was more than happy to oblige it, so, a fair exchange it would seem.

In a report titled “Congo offers US, Europe minerals in exchange for peace” by Cecilia Jamasmie for mining.com published in February of this year, the author notes how the DRC publicly called for an exchange of mineral rights for military protection.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has requested European assistance to end its conflict, specifically by asking the U.S. to buy minerals directly from Kinshasa rather than sourcing them from neighboring countries like Rwanda, which the DRC accuses of smuggling its resources,” she writes.

She adds: “This appeal is part of a push to leverage the DRC’s vast mineral wealth for peace and stability, rather than it continuing to fuel armed conflict.”

It didn’t take much persuasion; “The United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), established a Strategic Partnership as the basis for growing economic cooperation particularly in ‘safeguarding the integrity of the DRC’s territory and strategic mineral reserves,” the US State Department reported recently.

In its public report, the US State Department notes; “acknowledging the United States’ interest in building secure, reliable and durable supply chains for critical minerals, safeguarding its national security, supporting reindustrialization, and maintaining competitiveness in strategic sectors including defense, energy, advanced technologies, and automotive industries…”

And “Recognizing the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s pivotal role in Southern and Central Africa and its future integration into a regional market of over 600 million people in the near term, which this partnership seeks to support through industrialization, building value chains, and infrastructure connectivity, in accordance with the DRC’s regional commitments…” the US went ahead and inked a ‘security for minerals’ pact with the DRC.

The pact has promises of grandeur like  scaling up energy infrastructure, including the Grand Inga hydroelectric development, developing the Sakania-Lobito Corridor , increasing the level of U.S. private sector investment in the mining sector of the DRC and to generally strengthen economic ties between the two nations.

Describing the deal as a ‘commitment to advancing shared goals through collaboration, dialogue, and mutual respect, while upholding principles of good governance and responsible stewardship in the management of mineral resources,” the US has secured itself a central seat in one of the World’s richest mineral hub.

In turn, the DRC has in effect brought to its corner the military might of the US. While it has not been made public whether the US will be sending troops to deal with rebel insurgence in the DRC, be they Rwanda backed or not, what is clear is that the Trump administration has realized its need for critical minerals and other precious metals and stones by offering security to the DRC. Sounds like a win-win scenario, only time will tell, unless of course the two sides make public the exact quantity and value of the minerals that the US will be ferrying out of the DRC.

Also Read: Who got the money and who didn’t in Africa’s 2025 race for foreign direct investments?

Critical minerals, ushering a new scramble for Africa

The US is not alone in the scramble to secure critical minerals from Africa, in fact, it is playing catch up. Other eonomic powers such as China are already biting deep into Africa’s critical mineral rich deposits. Global demand for critical minerals inclusing nickel, graphite, manganese, cobalt, copper, lithium, and rare earth minerals is growing tremendously and China has a huge thirst for it.

It is no surprise since critical minerals are used in almost each and every sector of modern day development. Critical minerals have use in defense and aerospace systems, electronic vehicles (EV), semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medical devices and nearly each and every other device, including the phone or tablet that you are reading this article from.

“China now controls over half of global critical minerals production and an estimated 87 percent of processing and refining,” writes Paul Nantulya in a piece titled ‘China’s Critical Minerals Strategy in Africa’ that has been published by the Africa Center for  Studies.

The report notes that; “China also produces nearly 70 percent of rare earth minerals, manufactures 93 percent of high-strength rare earth permanent magnets and is responsible for 95 percent of the necessary heavy processing of critical minerals.”

These figures show just how much China has secured the downstream end of critical minerals at home and abroad. It does not stop there, China also has its dragon teeth locked on the upstream end of critical minerals. “While China’s critical minerals strategy has emphasized its processing and refining capabilities, Beijing has diversified upstream by acquiring major African mining assets,” the report details.

The author goes on to cite China’s ownership of  Botswana’s Khoemacau copper mine (2023), Mali’s Goulamina lithium mine (2024), and Tanzania’s Ngualla rare earth mine (2025). It should be noted that China also owns the world’s largest EV maker, the Chinese company BYD and has also secured for itself at least six African lithium mines.

Further still, the report boldly alleges that “China weaponizes its dominant position in refining critical minerals by limiting exports to rivals.” It says that Beijing does this through “…requiring licenses for products containing even minimal Chinese content, and banning exports with potential military uses.”

So, while Africa still holds the title of the world’s mineral rich continent, much remains to be desired as to what benefits these minerals have for the continent itself. As was the case during the first industrial revolution, Africa remains to be the source of raw materials but itself lags behind in utilizing said raw materials or even benefitting from the sell thereof.