Mining & Critical Minerals

Analysis of critical mineral supply chains across frontier markets, with a focus on strategic competition, resource security and implications for global energy and technology sectors.

The return and rise of Russia’s “Africa Corps”

Three years after the notorious mutiny by the Wagner Group and the death of its founder, Russian mercenaries have fully returned to their original task: spreading the Kremlin’s influence across the African continent.

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 31 Jul 2026

The return and rise of Russia’s “Africa Corps”

How Washington is redefining Pakistan’s critical minerals value chain

Pakistan offers a node between Gulf capital, American technology, and the resource-hungry Indo-Pacific for the world’s few most critical minerals

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 30 Nov 2025

How Washington is redefining Pakistan’s critical minerals value chain

The race for AI leadership in the Gulf

The race between the UAE and Saudi Arabia will define who sets the Gulf’s digital standards and who becomes its technological gatekeeper. Abu Dhabi's position is already well established, but Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions are fast catching up, setting the stage for a Gulf-wide AI rivalry.

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 14 Nov 2025

Trump's price for peace in the DRC

After three decades of cyclical violence, the recent DRC-Rwanda accord signaled not only hope for regional stability, but a new U.S. diplomatic approach driven by commercial ambition.

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 7 Nov 2025

Shifting frontlines in Congo’s endless war

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 21 Oct 2025

Shifting frontlines in Congo’s endless war

Gulf states and the critical minerals race

Critical minerals, from lithium and cobalt to rare earth elements, have become the backbone of modern industries, powering everything from defense systems to electric vehicle batteries. In today’s fractured geopolitical landscape, they represent more than resources: they are leverage.

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 11 Oct 2025

Gulf states and the critical minerals race

The race to unlock eastern Congo’s economic future

The recent peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, known as the Washington Agreement, could unlock major economic opportunities in eastern Congo, particularly in the mining and infrastructure sectors. But serious challenges remain.

By The Geopolitical Desk

/ 7 Aug 2025