Key facts
- Western miners can match China's pace in developing African critical minerals projects if governments streamline approvals and improve regulatory coordination, KoBold Metals President Josh Goldman said.
- KoBold Metals, backed by US billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, argues that streamlined processes would allow Western investors to deploy capital faster.
- Competition for Africa's critical minerals is intensifying as the US, Europe and China race to secure supplies for electric vehicles, AI and defense technologies.
- Chinese firms have often outpaced Western rivals in Africa through rapid execution and by backing mines with supporting infrastructure.
- KoBold is seeking faster exploration approvals in Namibia and expanding lithium and copper exploration in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- KoBold has invested about $2 million in Namibia since 2022 and holds over 7,000 square kilometers of exploration licenses there.
Western mining companies can accelerate their development of critical minerals projects in Africa to match China's pace if governments streamline regulatory approvals and improve coordination, according to KoBold Metals President Josh Goldman. The California-based firm, backed by US billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, argues that these measures would enable faster capital deployment without compromising compliance standards.
Competition for Africa's critical minerals, vital for electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and defense technologies, is intensifying among the US, Europe, and China. Chinese firms have often demonstrated faster execution in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea, supported by infrastructure such as railways and ports.
Goldman stated that KoBold is seeking to accelerate its investment in Namibia, where it holds over 7,000 square kilometers of exploration licenses and has invested approximately $2 million since 2022. He indicated that the company's expansion in the Democratic Republic of Congo includes its largest lithium exploration program and a significant copper exploration campaign near the Zambian border. Goldman noted that this effort is not hindered by the ongoing dispute surrounding the Manono deposit, where Australian firm AVZ Minerals and Chinese interests have competing claims. Zijin Mining, a Chinese company, began lithium exports from an adjoining block at Manono in June after constructing supporting infrastructure.