The Electric Vehicle Mineral Rush: Which African Countries are Leading? (DRC, Zimbabwe, South Africa)

The global transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is more than a technological shift; it is a fundamental restructuring of the global energy and transportation sectors. At the heart of this multi-trillion-dollar transformation lies a critical demand for specific minerals: cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and copper. This surging demand has triggered a new global scramble, placing a handful of African nations, endowed with these very resources, at the center of a geopolitical and economic vortex. For educated African and diaspora audiences, understanding this dynamic is crucial. It represents a historic opportunity for economic transformation, but also a familiar challenge: to avoid the pitfalls of the resource curse and ensure that this mineral wealth translates into sustainable, equitable development for its people.

This article delves into the complex landscape of Africa’s EV mineral boom, analyzing which nations are currently leading the charge—specifically the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, and South Africa. We will move beyond mere resource rankings to explore the strategies, challenges, and socio-economic implications of this rush, providing a nuanced perspective on what it truly means to be a leader in this new era.

Africa’s Strategic Position in the Green Energy Revolution

The global push for decarbonization has inadvertently made Africa a continent of immense strategic importance. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that demand for critical minerals could increase by as much as 600% by 2040, depending on the pace of climate action. Africa holds a significant portion of the world’s reserves:

• Cobalt: The DRC alone supplies over 70% of the world’s cobalt, a metal vital for EV battery cathodes.
• Platinum Group Metals (PGMs): South Africa possesses about 90% of the world’s platinum reserves and a significant share of iridium and ruthenium, essential for hydrogen fuel cells and optimizing EV battery efficiency.
• Lithium: Zimbabwe is emerging as a top-tier lithium producer, with some of the largest hard-rock lithium deposits in Africa.
• Graphite & Manganese: Madagascar, Mozambique, and Gabon hold major graphite deposits, while South Africa and Gabon are key manganese producers.

This endowment is not just about extraction. It offers a potential pathway to industrialize, by moving up the value chain from raw mineral exporter to processor and manufacturer of battery components. However, this potential is tempered by historical realities of resource governance, infrastructure deficits, and geopolitical maneuvering.

Defining Leadership: More Than Just Reserves

Leadership in the EV mineral sector cannot be measured by geological fortune alone. A comprehensive view of leadership encompasses:

• Production Volume: Current output and scalability of mining operations.
• Governance and Policy: The existence of clear, transparent, and stable regulatory frameworks that attract ethical investment.
• Local Value Addition: Policies and infrastructure that encourage in-country processing and beneficiation, capturing more value domestically.
• Environmental and Social Governance (ESG): Adherence to international standards for minimizing environmental impact and ensuring safe, fair labor practices.
• Geopolitical Strategy: A nation’s ability to negotiate favorable terms and form strategic partnerships with consuming countries and multinational corporations.

Using this multi-faceted definition, we can better assess the positions of the leading contenders.

The Undisputed King: Democratic Republic of Congo’s Cobalt Dominance

There is no conversation about EV minerals without the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its dominance in cobalt is absolute.

• Production: The DRC produced approximately 170,000 metric tons of cobalt in 2023, accounting for over 70% of global supply.
• Reserves: It holds an estimated 3.5 million metric tons of cobalt reserves, far surpassing any other nation.

The mining landscape is dominated by industrial giants like China’s CMOC (Tenke Fungurume mine) and Glencore (Kamoto Copper Company), alongside a vast, often informal, artisanal mining sector that employs thousands but is fraught with human rights and safety concerns.

Dr. Richard Munang, former Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator at UNEP: The DRC’s cobalt is its key to the future, but the lock is complex. The central challenge is to formalize the artisanal sector, ensure revenue transparency, and begin the critical work of in-country processing. Leadership means turning geopolitical leverage into tangible gains for the Congolese people.

The Congolese government has attempted to assert greater control, notably by reclassifying cobalt as a strategic mineral to increase royalties and through a recent review of contracts with foreign miners. However, leadership is undermined by persistent issues of corruption, governance instability, and the dire humanitarian conditions in mining regions like Kolwezi.

The Rising Star: Zimbabwe’s Lithium Ambitions

Zimbabwe has rapidly positioned itself as Africa’s premier lithium frontier. With hard-rock lithium deposits considered among the world’s largest, the country has attracted billions in investment since a 2017 law prohibited the export of unprocessed lithium ore.

• Key Projects: Major investments from Chinese companies like Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Resource Group, and Chengxin Lithium Group are developing mines and processing facilities.
• Policy Lever: The export ban on raw lithium is a direct attempt to force local beneficiation. Companies are now building processing plants to produce lithium concentrate, a higher-value product, before export.

This aggressive policy has boosted production and captured more value than a raw export model. However, critics argue that the rapid influx of Chinese investment and the concentration of benefits warrant careful scrutiny to ensure long-term national interest and community benefits.

Country	Primary EV Mineral	2023 Estimated Production	Global Rank	Key Strategy
DRC	Cobalt	~170,000 tons	1st (70%+)	Asserting state control, reviewing contracts
Zimbabwe	Lithium	~70,000 tons (spodumene)	Top 10	Ban on raw ore exports to force beneficiation
South Africa	PGMs, Manganese	~140,000 tons (PGMs)	1st (PGMs)	Developing local battery manufacturing value chain

Table: Comparative Overview of Leading African EV Mineral Producers. Sources: USGS, S&P Global.

The Industrial Pioneer: South Africa’s Value-Chain Approach

South Africa’s leadership is defined not by a single mineral, but by its sophisticated mining ecosystem and its deliberate strategy to build an entire EV value chain. While it is the world’s top producer of platinum group metals (PGMs)—crucial for hydrogen fuel cells and as battery catalysts—its ambitions run much deeper.

The country is leveraging its established industrial base, relatively advanced infrastructure, and research institutions to move beyond digging and shipping. The focus is on:

1. Local Beneficiation: Converting PGMs, manganese, and nickel into higher-value products.
2. Battery Manufacturing: Initiatives like the South African Battery Alliance aim to develop local cell manufacturing capacity.
3. Vehicle Assembly: Leveraging existing automotive manufacturing hubs (in Gauteng and Eastern Cape) to transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) assembly to EV production.

Minerals Council South Africa: Our competitive advantage lies in our infrastructure, skills, and mineral basket. The goal is to create a fully integrated industry from mine to market, positioning South Africa as a hub for EV and battery technology on the continent.

Challenges include a debilitating energy crisis, logistical bottlenecks at ports and railways, and policy uncertainty, which threaten to stifle these ambitious plans.

Beyond the Big Three: Other Key African Players {#other-players}

The EV mineral landscape extends beyond the three front-runners. Other nations are making significant strides:

• Mozambique & Madagascar: Hold some of the world’s largest flake graphite resources, essential for battery anodes.
• Gabon: A major manganese producer, with the French-owned Eramet operating one of the world’s largest mines.
• Namibia & Mali: Emerging as significant uranium producers, a mineral used in some next-generation nuclear technologies that could power future energy systems.

Each of these countries faces its own set of opportunities and challenges in attracting investment and managing resources responsibly.

The Inevitable Challenges: Governance, Ethics, and Sustainability

The EV mineral rush is not a straightforward blessing. It amplifies long-standing challenges that have plagued Africa’s extractive industries:

• The Resource Curse: The paradox where countries rich in natural resources often experience less economic growth and worse development outcomes.
• Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): A vital source of livelihood for millions that is often linked to dangerous working conditions, child labor, and environmental degradation. Formalizing and regulating ASM is a critical priority.
• Environmental Impact: Mining is inherently disruptive. Water pollution, deforestation, and carbon emissions from mining operations must be rigorously managed to avoid contradicting the green goals of the EV revolution.
• Geopolitical Capture: The intense competition, particularly between China, the West, and other players, risks creating a new form of economic dependency if African nations are not strategic negotiators.

The Road Ahead: Policy, Partnerships, and Prosperity

For African nations to truly lead and benefit from the EV revolution, a deliberate and strategic approach is required. Key actionable insights include:

1. Develop Coherent Industrial Policies: Governments must create clear, stable policies that incentivize local processing and manufacturing, like Zimbabwe’s lithium export ban or South Africa’s battery master plan.
2. Invest in Critical Infrastructure: Reliable energy, efficient railways, and modern ports are non-negotiable for competitive mineral processing and export.
3. Strengthen Governance and Transparency: Implementing initiatives like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is crucial to ensure revenues are accounted for and invested in national development.
4. Forge Strategic Partnerships: Move from purely commercial relationships to strategic, technology-transfer partnerships that build local capacity.
5. Prioritize Community Engagement: Ensure that local communities are not just stakeholders but beneficiaries, through equity shares, jobs, and social development programs.

Seizing the Moment for Structural Transformation

The electric vehicle mineral rush presents Africa with a generational opportunity. The question is not just which African countries are leading in production, but which will lead in transforming that geological wealth into human development and sustainable economic diversification.

The DRC leads in volume, Zimbabwe in assertive policy, and South Africa in industrial ambition. True leadership, however, will be defined by the ability to navigate the complex web of geopolitics, implement robust governance, and invest strategically to build economies that are resilient long after the last ton of mineral is dug from the ground.

For the African diaspora and continental citizens alike, this moment demands informed engagement and advocacy. It is a chance to learn from the past and write a new narrative—one where Africa’s resources finally fuel its own prosperity, powering not just the world’s cars, but its own future.