Without responsible governance, the rush for minerals risks environmental harm, social disruption and lost economic opportunity
It must champion a new global compact on critical minerals, one that prioritizes beneficiation, environmental protection, fair labour and development justice.
Green industrialisation in Africa is needed for the climate crisis and for a just development path
The continent must use energy minerals for its development rather than feeding them to industrialised countries
The mineral and petroleum resources minister also told the mining indaba that the African continent must take charge of its mineral wealth
Policies that attract investment while safeguarding long-term national interests can foster a conducive environment for cross-border investments
The theme of the February 2025 Mining Indaba, Futureproofing Mining Today, underscores the urgency of aligning policy, investment and local development to secure sustainable growth
African countries must avoid the mistakes of the fossil-fuel industrial revolution; the mining of cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel and copper must be based on equity, human rights and local development
Communities living on and working land in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say they are not informed about mining permits for energy transition minerals
The DRC is rich in the minerals needed for renewable energy technologies, central to reducing our carbon footprint, but they come at great environmental and human cost
A historic UN deal to restore degraded forest ecosystems in southeastern DRC is being torn apart by mining companies
Responsible resource development goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship and social responsibility
The country’s future is inextricably intertwined with that of the planet itself. That is not necessarily a good thing
This is an edited extract from Siddharth Kara’s book Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives
