Mineral diplomacy: Rise of the nonaligned
Mineral-rich nations are leveraging the lack of cohesion between the G7 and BRICS to gain greater diplomatic and economic bargaining power. The fragmentation of these global blocs allows producer nations to pursue independent strategies for their critical mineral resources.
Why it matters
The geopolitical competition for minerals is creating a new 'nonaligned' movement where resource-rich countries can play major powers against each other.
Mineral-producing nations are turning the shortcomings of the G7 and BRICS into bargaining power.
This report is the first in a series on mineral diplomacy from GIS Expert Bob Savic .
The global race for critical minerals – lithium, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements – has intensified geopolitical competition. It is tempting to see the G7 and BRICS as two cohesive, rival blocs, each pursuing a fully formed mineral strategy. That picture is misleading.
Instead, what we observe are two loosely affiliated constellations of actors whose internal contradictions, divergent national interests and tactical improvisations prevent either from functioning as a unified diplomatic machine.
This fragmentation, far from being a temporary flaw, is structural. And it is precisely this lack of coherence that creates significant maneuvering room for mineral-rich producer nations, particularly in Africa and Latin America, which remain outside the core decision-making circles of both groupings.
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