Critical Minerals in Africa: Navigating Project Uncertainties through Context-Sensitive Approaches

Alexandra Maurtua Konstantinidi, The Livelihood Co-lab (South Africa)
Paige Kelly, The Livelihood Co-lab, (South Africa)

This paper examines how emerging international regulatory and policy frameworks on transition minerals address the complex reality of mining projects uncertainty: delayed investments, volatile commodities’ market prices, redesign of operations and extended periods of project interruption in mineral-rich conflict-prone regions, and its impacts to people in the African region.

Drawing on the principles and recommendations that shape the critical minerals agenda, this paper shows that, while these principles articulate a powerful vision of equity, justice and human rights, and insist that the “urgency of the energy transition cannot justify irresponsible practices in mining,” they largely assume orderly project lifecycles and make only limited reference to the reality that many critical mineral frontiers are characterised by ongoing conflict, conflict-prone dynamics or very fragile peace. The paper examines how this silence on conflict and on project uncertainty constrains the practical implementation of the principles in such settings for businesses, states and civil society.

However, context-sensitive approaches are being implemented by projects, in an attempt to secure peace and protect livelihoods at risk. These approaches draw on the key principles of protecting Human Rights but lack a strong connection to the international frameworks.