Cobalt mining

How reliant is the United States on imports of critical minerals

near or at 100% for a lot of critical minerals

What is the main importer of critical minerals into the US

China

What assumption are accelerated demand of critical mineral forcasts based off

A global transition to non-fuel based energy sources

Why is it critical for the US to diversify its critical mineral supply chain

To avoid being shorthanded and vulnerable to export controls and market manipulation by geopolitical rivals (think WW2 Japan and rubber)

What is an example of modern day imperialism in Africa

Wagner group in Mali, and Sudan

How can the US play a possitive role in African mining

Offering a better approach to mining than the practices common to Chinese companies

Which region is attempting to become economic competitiors in Africa

Gulf states

What is one way that the US could empower African society and media

providing more support for US Agency for International Development (USAID)

Why should Critical minerals be a top priority in the US's relationship to africa

US economic and nation security, and Africa economic development

What could enhancing USAID efforts such as those supported through the Fiscal Transperancy Innovation fund help with

Strengthening rule of law, improving business climate, and fostering greater peace

China dominates what relating to critical minerals

Mining and processing

Why does Chinese mining fall short in benefiting African host companies

environmental degradation, labor abuses, and social upheaval (in already fragile environments)

Where has Chinese mining helped African countries

Many African countries have severe infrastructure shortages

Why do Africans view Chinese involvement in a possitive light

They are basically the only country showing intrest and they are actually getting things done

What geopolitical events have heightened US interest in Critical Minerals

Wagner group, Covid-19 supply chain weaknesses, and growing geopolitical competition with China

What are examples of western backed African mining and infrastructure projects

A Zambia-Lobito rail line, graphite in Mozambique, battery supply chain initiative with the DRC and Zambia

What could a rush to develop infrastructure and mining projects lead to

increased corruption and instability

What did the US intitute of peace research group conclude

That the US should work with Africans to strengthen rule of law, transparency, and environmental/labor laws

What are three major reasons why building beneficial critical mineral partnerships will be challenging

1) US has lacked presence in the space for the last few decades

2) Mining requires infrastructure and is complex when it comes to human rights and rule of law

3) Russia and China play by different rules

What are some of the major benifits of investing in African Mining

Widening supply chains, significantly determining how African countries develop which could promote peace, stability, and economic connections

What is the US critical minerals list based off

The Energy Act of 2020

How often does the US Geological Survey have to update the critical minerals list

3 years

What is a general definition for a critical mineral

A non fuel mineral or an economical important mineral that has supply line vulnerabilities

How many minerals where on the last USGS list

50

What new category was added to the most recent USGS list

Rare earth minerals

What other US critical minerals list is there

DOE minerals critical FOR ENERGY

What two critical minerals for the US economy are at an 100% import reliance

Graphite and Manganese

What is a single point of failure supply chain

mainly relient on imports from a single country

How many of the 5 critical minerals for the US economy is the US more than 50% relient of

4

Which 2023 event highlighted the dangers of single point failure supply chain

China's announcement of export controls on Graphite

Why are critical minerals so important

Consumer tech, engines, military uses (plane bodies for example), and medical equipment

What are military uses for critical minerals

jet engines, communications equipment, and satellites

Antimony

used to produce amunition and flame retardant materials

To minimize the risk of supply chains the US maintains what

National Defense Stockpile

What is the National Defense Stockpile managed by

the DoDs Defense Logistics Agency

In recent years how has congressional guidance regarding militarily important critical minerals that are import reliant changed

Reducing stockpiles to aggressively pursing options to increase them

How was the urgency of increasing stockpiles reflected in congress

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 called for policy to expand critical mineral supply chains and become less reliant on China

According to the IEA what was the cause behind a 70% jump in demand for cobalt and a 40% jump in the demand for nickle

demand from the energy sector

How much has the market size for key energy transition materials grown in the last 5 years

it doubled

Electric cars require how many more times of mineral inputs than gas powered cars

6

Electric wind plants require how many more times of mineral inputs than gas plants

9

In how many african countries does critical minerals account for 30% or more of exports

23

Which african countries does critical minerals account for 75% or more of exports

DRC, Guinea, and Zambia

Why do african countries miss out on a lot of the mineral wealth

The processing is done elsewhere

How could African's see more benefits from minerals

Local processing and product development

Who is doing most of the refinement of critical minerals in Africa

Chinese or Chinese connected companies

Whats the exception when it comes to the full processing of critical minerals on site

South Africa

How many years on average does it take to develop mining sites

16 years

Why does development of mining cites in the US take longer

controversy and 7-10 years of legislative processes

What project was sparked because of China's export controls on grpahite

Graphite mines in Mozambique with a processing facility in USA

What are examples of groups made to stop resource based, resource money fuel African conflicts

Exctractive Industries transparency initiative, The Kimberley process, and the US Dodd-Frank wall street reform and consumer protection act of 2010

What are artisanal mining site

local non-industrial and informal mining sites

What often happens to artisanal mining sites

taken over by corrupt or violent organizations

What does "responsible mining" aim to do

minimize environmental impact while also maximize worker health and government accountability

What is one approach to "responsible mining"

the Initiative for Responsible mining Assurance

What can undermine financial backing for new mining projects

Critical minerals are economically volatile (and unknown future technologies)

Unlike Chinese investment, US investment will be driven by whose decisions

private sector

How has the IEA Energy Transition Mineral Price Index moved since 2020

trippled between 2020 and 2022 then lost a lot of it in 2023

What has been the key reason for the ETMPI's dramatic 2023 fall

supply grew faster than demand, and inventory overhang of critical mineral products

How many electric cars where sold in 2023

14 million

What two technologies account for a predicted majority of capacity additions

Solar and wind

What region is predicted to capture the largest amount for mined critical mineral output

Latin America (120 billion)

What region is predicted to see the fastest critical mineral mining growth

Indonesia (doubling due to nickle)

Nearly 50% of the market value from refining is predicted to go to what country

China

What two countries drove 2023 exploration spending

Canada and Australia

Which private equity investments grew and which shrinked

Battery recycling grew, mining and refining shrinked

Is geogrphical concentration of refinement expected to contract or expand

contract

What is N-1

A test for vulnerabilities that takes out the largest supplier of it

Which critical mineral has the worse N-1 situation

Nickle (10% N-1 supply)

How are price declines a double edge sword

good for clean energy development but bad for critical mineral investment and diversification

Which two minerals have the highest risk scores according to "the Outlook"

Lithium and graphite

About how much investment in mining would be necessary in mining to reach the Paris climate agreement (1.5 degrees C)

800 billion

What efforts need to be stepped up to ease supply chain strains

Recycling

What does the US gov's strategy towards sub-saharan africa declaire

it will help them economically through their minerals and will ensure legal transparent supply chains of those materials

How free are the people of eastern DRC

basically enslaved

Is there a conflict in eastern DRC?

Yes

How many local groups are fighting in the eastern DRC conflict?

Over 250 local groups

How many armed groups are involved in the conflict in eastern DRC?

14 armed groups

What is a primary driver of the conflict in eastern DRC?

Money from mines

How many people have died in the Eastern DRC fighting

Approx 6 million

How many people have been uprooted in the Eastern DRC fighting

over 7 Million

What effect has Beijing's industrial policy had on Western companies

It has pushed them out of rare earth and processing in China

How have Western nations put themselves at a disadvantage

Extensive environmental regulations and permitting restrictions

Mainland China has around what % of rare earth reserves

36

Through the BAR initiative what % of rare earth reserves does China controll

70

What % of rare earth metal processing capabilities is controlled by China

90

What has bejings industrial policy done to rare earth metal mining and processing in china

Pushed out American companies

When did Bejing signifigantly reduce REE exports to Japan

2010 Senkaku islands crisis

What does heritage recomend the private industry and DOD do

Stockpile a three-month supply of unprocessed, semi processed and processed REEs

What does heritage recommend congress do

ease federal mining regulations and reform the 1872 mining law (and also maybe reform other environmental statues)

What should lawmakers commission regarding federal lands and mining?

Lawmakers should commission a report accounting for all federal lands subject to administrative withdrawal from critical mineral development.

What is "friend-shoring" and how could it be encouraged in the context of rare-earth elements?

"Friend-shoring" refers to international cooperation to diversify processing. It can be encouraged by creating a "white CFIUS" to certify companies and share information, fostering collaboration on exploration and technologies.

How the does the mineral security project aim to address business hesitation due to shaky prices and long time frames

accelerating the development of a diverse supply chain

What did MSP partners establish to develop financial institutions, and export credit agencies

Finance network

What % of South Africa's annual chrome production is lost to illegal mining

10% (GI-TOC)

What key material is chrome a key component in

Stainless steel

What is a major driver of illegal mining in south africa

rampant unemployment (30% concentrated in peripheral areas)

What are illegal miners known as in south africa

zama zamas

Who is Gaudupe Mpodi

Witrandjie's village headman

How did South Africa adress long standing racial exclusion in mining

Increased small scale mining permits