The growing importance of critical minerals is reshaping global geopolitics, resource security, and international economic relations.
As the world accelerates its transition towards clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing, the demand for critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements—has surged, raising new challenges for policymakers and industries alike.
In this discussion with Dr. Vlado Vivoda, we will explore the key issues surrounding critical minerals, focusing on supply chain vulnerabilities, the geopolitical implications of resource dependency, and the strategies needed to ensure secure and sustainable access.
Content
- Strategic Rivalries: Critical Minerals and the US-China Competition
- National Security Implications of Critical Minerals
- The Weaponisation of Critical Minerals
- Competition or Cooperation? State Dynamics in the Critical Minerals Race
- The Minerals Security Partnership: Objectives and Impact
- Can the Quest for Critical Minerals Spark Conflict?
- Neocolonialism in Mineral Extraction Practices
- Chinese vs Western Mining Strategies: A Comparative Perspective
- Non-State Actors and NGOs in the Critical Minerals Sector
- The Disinformation Campaign Against Rio Tinto in Serbia
- Three Underexplored Areas in Critical Minerals Research
Vlado Vivoda
Dr Vlado Vivoda is a renowned scholar and researcher affiliated with the Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland, Australia.
His work addresses some of the most pressing global challenges, focusing on the geopolitics of critical minerals, sustainable energy policies, and the strategic impacts of global energy transitions.
He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Resources Policy, one of the world’s premier journals dedicated to the economics and policy dimensions of energy and mineral extraction, production and use.
Selected Publications
Vivoda, V. (2024). Uncharted depths: Navigating the energy security potential of deep-sea mining. Journal of Environmental Management, 369, 122343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122343
Vivoda, V., Matthews, R., & McGregor, N. (2024). A critical minerals perspective on the emergence of geopolitical trade blocs. Resources Policy, 89, 104587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104587
Vivoda, V. (2023). Friend-shoring and critical minerals: Exploring the role of the Minerals Security Partnership. Energy Research & Social Science, 100, 103085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103085
Vivoda, V. (2011). Determinants of foreign direct investment in the mining sector in Asia: A comparison between China and India. Resources Policy, 36(1), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2010.08.005
