Can the Global South Take Control of Critical Mineral Processing?
The race to secure critical minerals is well underway — but mining is only the beginning. The real prize, and the real bottleneck, lies in what happens next: processing, refining, and beneficiation. A panel of global experts convened recently by the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South, in partnership with Duke University's Nicholas Institute and Sustainable Energy for All, made one thing clear: the Global South cannot afford to keep exporting raw materials and importing finished products. The question is how to change that — and fast.