From Lithium to Power: Mining’s New Gold Rush

Where the world’s critical minerals are—and who’s racing to claim them.

Author

Philip Saparov
August 28, 2025

In partnership with

Greetings, seeker of global edge and grounded opportunity,

As the world races to electrify and digitize, a surprising player is back in the spotlight: mining. But this time, it’s not about gold—it’s about lithium, cobalt, and rare earths fueling the future.

Where are the next fortunes buried? And which nations are digging—or done?

Let’s unearth the trends shaping the new global power map.

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Stretching across Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, the “Lithium Triangle” holds over 50% of the world’s lithium reserves—a crucial mineral for EV batteries.

  • 🇨🇱 Chile leads with efficient exports but rising resource nationalism.

  • 🇦🇷 Argentina is attracting foreign investors, with 5 new lithium projects underway by 2026.

  • 🇧🇴 Bolivia, despite vast resources, struggles with infrastructure and political delays.

🔎 Did you know? Global lithium demand is expected to quadruple by 2030, driven by EV and energy storage growth.

China currently refines 90% of the world’s rare earth elements—essential for electronics, defense tech, and green energy.

  • It processes ores mostly imported from Myanmar and Africa.

  • The government is consolidating control with state-run mining giants.

  • Rivals like the U.S., EU, and Japan are scrambling to build alternative supply chains.

💡 Surprising twist: China still imports 60% of the raw rare earth ores it processes—making it both dominant and dependent.

Africa’s mineral wealth is vast, but the path to prosperity is fraught with geopolitical and ethical challenges.

  • 🇨🇩 DR Congo produces 70% of the world’s cobalt, but child labor and unstable politics cast shadows.

  • 🇿🇦 South Africa’s platinum sector faces labor unrest and closures.

  • 🌱 Mozambique and Tanzania are emerging as major graphite players.

⚠️ Policy shift: Some nations now ban raw mineral exports, aiming to force local processing and create jobs.

Faced with growing strategic dependencies, North America is racing to revive domestic mining.

  • 🇺🇸 The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is fueling investment in lithium, nickel, and rare earths.

  • 🇨🇦 Canada is developing critical mineral corridors across Quebec and Ontario.

  • But both face 7–10 year delays from discovery to extraction, mainly due to permitting and local opposition.

📊 Did you know? The U.S. imports 100% of its graphite, 80% of rare earths, and 60% of cobalt—despite having domestic reserves.

Australia is a top global producer of iron ore, lithium, and bauxite, but the tide is turning.

  • 🇦🇺 It leads in spodumene (a lithium-rich mineral), critical to EV batteries.

  • Firms like BHP and Rio Tinto are pivoting from coal toward copper and nickel.

  • Climate legislation is limiting fossil fuel projects but incentivizing clean-tech minerals.

📌 Hidden gem: Australia supplies nearly half the world’s spodumene, powering EV batteries worldwide.

Long reliant on imports, Europe is now eyeing mining sovereignty.

  • 🇸🇪 Sweden recently uncovered Europe’s largest rare earth deposit.

  • 🇵🇹 Portugal and 🇫🇮 Finland are developing new lithium projects.

  • The EU Critical Raw Materials Act mandates increased local sourcing.

At the same time, Europe is becoming a global leader in “urban mining”—recovering metals from discarded electronics.

🧠 Thought-provoking stat: The average smartphone contains over 30 rare metals, many of which remain unrecycled in Europe.

With land-based reserves dwindling, eyes are turning to the ocean floor—specifically the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific.

  • These seabeds contain massive deposits of nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

  • Countries like Norway, China, and Nauru are preparing to explore.

  • Environmental groups warn of irreversible harm to marine ecosystems.

🌐 Stunning possibility: Deep-sea mining could begin as soon as 2026, despite unresolved global regulations.

From South American salt flats to the seafloor’s edge, the world’s mineral map is shifting fast. These resources don’t just power devices—they shape geopolitics, economies, and the future itself.

Want to know who holds tomorrow’s power? Follow the minerals.

Stay sharp. Stay global. And above all—stay curious.

Warm regards,

Shane Fulmer
Founder, WorldPopulationReview.com

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