Driven by its ambition to achieve greater control over key raw materials used in high-tech industries for its own gain and exert geopolitical influence, China has been accelerating its expansion in the critical minerals sector worldwide.
The strategy for monopoly over minerals essential for warfare technologies and military modernization has led Beijing to increase its investment and influence in Latin America, a move experts say poses global and national security concerns, as China could use critical minerals as bargaining chip in conflicts or disrupt supply chains to hinder technological advancements.
Critical minerals, such as lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, niobium, and rare earths, are concentrated in a few regions for which South America has a prominent role. Beyond the lithium triangle, other countries in the region such as Brazil and Peru offer great opportunities for the hunt for critical minerals.
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