Sustainability of Strategic Minerals in Southern Africa and Potential Conflicts and Partnerships

The principal sustainability challenge in Southern Africa for the United States and its allies is uncertain access to strategic minerals, particularly platinum group metals PGMs, chromium and manganese and rare earth minerals, cobalt and uranium. The causes of this challenge are increasing global demand and supply shortages caused by inadequate infrastructure, politicization of the mining industry, and Chinas aggressive, monopolistic behavior in pursuit of minerals. The challenge is most acute in the five Southern African countries of South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Environmental sustainability of the mining industry is another concern. The purpose of this paper is to provide scope to the problem and recommend steps the United States can take in order to ensure continued access.