An initiative of the
Publication Round-up: Key Reads on Recycling, Transparency & Partnerships
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To keep stakeholders informed, the Global Council regularly provides a short update on the evolving landscape of publications shaping the debate around energy transition minerals. The publication from key institutions featured in this edition offer fresh perspectives on recyclability, circularity, international partnerships, traceability, and global governance.
The global energy transition is vital to addressing climate change. Yet, it relies heavily on critical minerals sourced through supply chains that are both fragile and highly concentrated. As renewable technologies scale up rapidly, it is imperative that this transition be inclusive and equitable. This report calls for urgent collective action to improve efficiency, recycling, and the sustainable governance of minerals essential to the green transition. It shows how enhancing efficiency, circularity, and responsibility across the mineral life cycle can help overcome three major challenges: (1) shortages of energy transition minerals, (2) delays in scaling up supply, and (3) the environmental and social risks associated with a rapid increase in mining. To address these, the report urges international cooperation—among governments, industry, and investors—around eight strategic “R” actions: Rethink systems of mobility, housing, and industry to meet human needs with fewer resources; Reduce demand through improved material and energy efficiency; Retain minerals in use for longer periods; Replace critical minerals with lower impact substitutes where possible; Reuse products in second and third lives; Recover minerals from production processes and legacy sites; Recycle materials into new products; and ensure Responsible practices throughout the value chain.
Priorities for the United Nations High-Level Expert Advisory Group on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, Natural Resources Governance Institute, January 2025
In December 2024, the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) convened a multi-actor group of stakeholders at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center to identify priority actions for advancing equitable economic development in low- and middle-income mineral-producing countries. Drawing on the UN Secretary-General’s Panel report Resourcing the Energy Transition, the group focused on implementing Recommendation 1: to accelerate benefit sharing, value addition, and economic diversification through a High-Level Expert Advisory Group (HLEAG).
This paper summarizes the group’s recommendations on the structure and mandate of the future HLEAG. It proposes four priority objectives: (1) ensuring a fair and well-managed distribution of the economic benefits from mining; (2) supporting value-addition projects that benefit local communities; (3) promoting economic diversification that benefits from—but does not depend on—minerals; (4) and ensure that trade, finance and investment support – rather than hinder – sustainable development and diversification of low and middle-income mineral-producing countries and regions. The paper also provides guidance on the HLEAG’s role, structure, and composition.
Mapping Africa’s Green Minerals Partnerships, Africa Policy Research Institute, January 2025
This report explores the evolving landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers regarding access to ‘critical’ or ‘green’ minerals. With its abundant mineral resources and the rising demand driven by the green and digital transitions, Africa has drawn considerable international attention. A growing number of bilateral agreements—ranging from strategic partnerships to cooperation frameworks—have been established with African states to secure mineral access, promote joint ventures, and integrate mineral value chains. Despite their importance, these agreements are often opaque, with limited public accessibility.
Against this background, APRI conducted an extensive online search to develop an interactive online map reporting on nearly 100 bilateral and multilateral agreements made with African countries regarding access to “green” or “critical” minerals. The report presents key findings: (1) The analysis highlights the prominent roles of global actors like China and Russia, in contrast with the relative scarcity of agreements involving traditional mining powers such as Australia and Canada; (2) The nature of these agreements varies significantly - some emphasize direct State cooperation and the allocation of public funds, while others focus on fostering an enabling environment for private sector investment or prioritize social and environmental standards. Many reflect broader geopolitical, historical, and power-related considerations; (3) African governments are increasingly viewing their critical mineral supply chains not only through the lens of global competitiveness or decarbonization but also as a matter of national security; (4) Despite the strategic importance of these agreements, many remain vague and non-binding. Greater transparency is essential for economic clarity, as well as for upholding public accountability, democratic governance, and human rights.
The Role of Traceability in Critical Mineral Supply Chains, International Energy Agency (IEA) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), February 2025
This report highlights the essential role of traceability in securing resilient and sustainable mineral supply chains capable of supporting the clean energy transition. As demand for minerals grows, new mining and processing operations introduce environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks that can significantly disrupt supply. Traceability systems are critical in addressing these risks by ensuring that supply chains comply with regulatory due diligence requirements and by providing reliable data on product origin and ESG performance. However, for traceability systems to be effective, they must be carefully designed to fit the specific needs of different supply chains. This includes incorporating appropriate infrastructure, include standardized data, and ensuring interoperability. The report outlines a roadmap of height steps for governments to increase mineral traceability: (1) Define clear policy objectives for traceability; (2) Identify priority areas of focus based on those objectives; (3) Determine the types of information that operators should collect and share; (4) Identify key supply chain actors who should be the focus of traceability efforts; (5) Promote the development and adoption of interoperability protocols; (6) Establish trust mechanisms to support data integrity; (7) Create incentives for traceability - ranging from regulatory measures to economic tools such as funding programs or tax credits; and (8) Engage international stakeholders to foster collaboration and promote cross-border data sharing.
Turning Cobalt Wealth into Community Prosperity: A Landmark Convening at Bellagio, Fair Cobalt Alliance
This article draws from the recent convening co-hosted with Entreprise Générale du Cobalt and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation. The convening brought together DRC government representatives, industrial mining leaders, commodity traders, development practitioners, financial institutions, the OECD, and other international partners to address the professionalization and sustainability of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in the DRC.
Artisanal copper-cobalt mining in the DRC is a crucial economic sector, directly employing between 150,000 and 250,000 miners and supporting the livelihoods of over a million people. However, despite ongoing efforts to formalize the sector under the DRC Mining Code, artisanal mining largely remains informal, with operations often conducted under hazardous conditions and without adequate governance structures.
The article emphasizes key recommendations for developing a legal and responsible ASM sector: (1) defining principles for Responsible Artisanal Mining, including rigorous safety, environmental and labor standards; (2) making the case for ASM business models, including by exploring financing options, market access and making downstream buyers more proactive actors in creating demand from ASM; 3) addressing governance and institutional coordination in the DRC mining sector, including through leveraging inter-agency coordination. Government intervention is also recognized as key to stabilizing the market and guiding investment flows.
EU selects 47 strategic projects to secure critical minerals access, Mining Magazine
“The European Union (EU) has published its first list of strategic projects strengthening the local extraction, processing, and recycling of 14 of the 17 materials it deems critical for its energy transition and security. […] The selection of the 47 projects marks a key step in implementing the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which sets targets for 2030, including extracting 10% of the EU’s annual consumption, processing 40%, and recycling 25% of these essential materials. […] The selected projects span 13 EU member states — Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Czechia, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Poland, and Romania. They focus on key metals and minerals such as aluminum, boron, copper, cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel and rare earths. […] Of the 47 initiatives, 25 involve extraction, 24 focus on processing, and 10 are dedicated to recycling, with some covering multiple functions, the European Commission (EC), which is the EU executive body, said.”
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