China is rapidly expanding its influence over Africa’s critical minerals supply chains by combining mine ownership, infrastructure financing, and downstream processing. Across key countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Guinea, Chinese firms control or influence significant portions of cobalt, lithium, copper, and bauxite, shaping global markets for battery and industrial metals.
Dominance in the DRC and Global Supply Impact
In the DRC, Chinese-backed operations produce over 150,000 tonnes of cobalt annually, accounting for more than 70% of global output. By integrating mining with refining and battery-materials processing, these companies control pricing, logistics, and downstream manufacturing, creating structural dependencies that extend through global electric vehicle (EV) supply chains.
Infrastructure-Linked Investments
Chinese investments are often structured as resource-for-infrastructure agreements, funding rail corridors, hydropower plants, and processing facilities. While these arrangements have accelerated production capacity and modernized transport and energy networks, they have also sparked concerns among Western governments over supply concentration and geopolitical leverage in critical minerals markets.
Shifts Toward Local Value Addition
In response, African governments are increasingly seeking greater domestic value creation, renegotiating contracts to ensure local refining, smelting, and battery-materials processing. This signals a gradual rebalancing of power in resource partnerships, as African nations aim to capture more of the economic and technological benefits of their mineral wealth.
By linking upstream mining with downstream processing and infrastructure development, China has established a strategically integrated foothold in Africa’s critical minerals sector—reshaping global supply chains while prompting governments worldwide to rethink resource security and industrial strategy.
