Isabel, her grandmother Aurelia Domínguez and her husband Calef look over the Ministro Hales copper mine

Chile

‘The state doesn’t want to know’: Doctors raise alarm on children’s health crisis in Chile’s copper heartland

Doctors are accusing Chilean authorities of turning a blind eye to rocketing cases of autism in the country’s copper-mining region, pointing the finger at the industry powering the energy transition

A Northvolt employee at the company’s battery research labs outside Västerås, Sweden

Sweden

Beyond lithium: how a Swedish battery company wants to power Europe’s green transition with salt

Northvolt has developed a sodium-based battery, which doesn’t require critical minerals and could help break European dependence on China for the technology

Argentina

Lithium tug of war: the US-China rivalry for Argentina’s white gold

As global competition hots up to secure lithium supplies for batteries, China is boosting its investments in Argentina while the US courts President Javier Milei

Indonesia turns traditional Indigenous land into nickel industrial zone

Canada

The Canadian city betting on recycling rare earths for the energy transition

As countries scramble to secure critical minerals, Kingston’s burgeoning clean tech ecosystem is attracting startups to create circular supply chains and reduce reliance on China

Indonesia turns traditional Indigenous land into nickel industrial zone

Indonesia

Indonesia turns traditional Indigenous land into nickel industrial zone

Indonesia supplies the EV industry with critical battery materials but the sector’s rapid expansion is infringing the rights of Indigenous peoples

Women walking inside the solar park to fetch water

India

India wants its own solar industry but has to break reliance on China first

The Indian government wants to supply solar PV to its domestic market and the world. But dependence on its geopolitical rival for components and technology makes it a challenging task.
Chinese investors have flocked to Zimbabwe to secure lithium supplies, promising local development. But analysts warn Zimbabwe needs more robust governance for communities to reap the benefits.

Zimbabwe

Lithium boom: Zimbabwe looks to China to secure a place in the EV battery supply chain

Chinese investors have flocked to Zimbabwe to secure lithium supplies, promising local development. But analysts warn Zimbabwe needs more robust governance for communities to reap the benefits.