We need critical minerals for the green transition, the military and the AI boom. In barely a year, lithium and the rare earths have become some of the most fought-over objects on earth. But the scarcity is manufactured — by refineries, choke points and the states that control them.
Richard talks to Thea Riofrancos, author of Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism, about what these minerals really are, the gutted landscapes the green transition runs on, and the new geopolitics of extraction, from Trumpian state capitalism to Latin America to China.
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In barely a year, lithium and the rare earths have become some of the most fought-over objects on earth.
What? China has been intentionally acquiring control over rare earth sources for over a decade. We’ve been talking about lithium availability for a decade and a half. What rock has this author been hiding under? Did they just become aware of this issue?
