The U.S., Japan, and other G7 countries are scrambling to secure critical minerals to end their reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains. Every week, there's news of another mining deal for cobalt, lithium, and other resources essential to powering 21st century technology.

But the race to control critical resources may already be over. Decades before countries in the Global West recognized the importance of these minerals and metals, China quietly built out a vast network of mining and refining operations.

Nicholas Niarchos, author of the new bestselling book "The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth," joins Eric & Géraud to discuss the history of the battery metal competition and why China's early moves in this space may have given it an insurmountable lead.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode:

Why everyone sees the critical minerals supply chain differently and who's missing the full picture
The making of "The Elements of Power" — one journalist's journey from Greece to Congo
Artisanal mining, child labor, and the political ecosystem keeping it alive
How China built its Congo mining empire over 30 years while the West looked away
The Sicomines "Deal of the Century" and what it revealed about Chinese strategy
Small Chinese traders, violence, and the uneasy coexistence on Congo's mining frontier
Indonesia, Western Sahara and the global pattern of extractive exploitation
Why the US critical minerals push may already be too little too late

Show Notes:

Purchase a copy of The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth: https://a.co/d/0g8xV4n8

Join the Discussion:

X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth

Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social

Follow CGSP in French and Spanish:

French: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine
Spanish: www.chinalasamericas.com | @ChinaAmericas

Join us on Patreon!
Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Who Controls the Battery Age? Congo, China, and the New Resource Order

The China in Africa Podcast