The Telegraph published on 12 February 2026 an article titled "'Mine, Baby Mine': Trump Races to Catch Up to China in New Scramble for Africa's Minerals" by Ben Farmer.
Washington is trying to overturn more than 20 years of Chinese dominance in which Beijing has taken control of mining and refining of critical minerals. This competition is playing out this week at a major mining meeting in South Africa.
Modern Diplomacy published on 9 February 2026 an article titled "U.S. Tests China's Grip on African Minerals Ahead of Cape Town Indaba" by Sana Khan.
The US strategy for accessing African critical minerals relies on trading structures that steer African mineral output into US-aligned supply chains still dominated by Chinese refiners. Washington is seeking to influence mineral flows without replicating China's capital intensive, asset-heavy model. This approach reduces political and operational exposure but also limits control.
Reuters published on 10 June 2022 an article titled "China Moly Denies Congo Administrator Takes Over Its Tenke Copper-cobalt Mine" by Aaron Ross.
The secretary-general of Congo's state mining company stated earlier this week that a court-appointed temporary administrator had taken charge of Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), 80 percent owned by China Molybdenum, amid a dispute between TFM shareholders. China Molybdenum then denied there had been any change in the management of TFM.
china-africa relations
