The United States is stepping up efforts to challenge China’s dominance in African critical mineral supplies, focusing on copper, cobalt and other resources essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy and defence industries. Washington is leveraging state-backed financing and offtake agreements to secure supply chains aligned with U.S. interests ahead of this week’s Mining Indaba in South Africa, Reuters reported.
Rather than investing directly in high-risk mining operations, the U.S. is relying on trading arrangements and offtake deals with partners such as Switzerland’s Mercuria and the Congolese state miner Gécamines. These arrangements allow African mineral output to enter U.S.-aligned value chains while minimizing political and operational risks, Marketscreener noted.
The strategy is targeting key producing countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which supplies over 70% of global cobalt, as well as Zambia and Guinea. Analysts say this contrasts with China’s long-established footprint in Africa, where companies control major copper and cobalt assets and channel much of the output through Chinese refining and processing networks, as highlighted in The Daily Star.
While the U.S. push aims to diversify supply sources and reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled chains, experts caution that matching China’s scale remains a significant challenge. China’s deep integration in African mining and processing gives it a clear advantage, and both powers are expected to announce new commitments at industry events this week, Marketscreener added.
