Critical Raw Materials and Technological Transitions. Rethinking natural resource-led development models.

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are increasingly vital to contemporary economies and societies. Their role is fundamental in (i) a wide range of modern technologies, including those enabling the dual (digital and green) transition; and in (ii) industrial usages across multiple value chain stages and products. While their technological and industrial use is wide and pervasive, CRMs are also characterised by a high degree of geological rarity and geographical concentration of deposits: many of the later are found in sub-Sahara Africa countries and subnational regions.
The unique technological and economic importance of CRMs, combined with the high risk of global supply disruptions, represent serious concerns for most governments and international organisations. African countries are also adopting their critical materials’ strategies, whose objectives pursue local economic development, industrialisation, employment and value chain upgrading. However, a gap exists in linking what and why is critical for the technological leaders and for African economies. Analysing the evolution of crucial CRM-based fine-grained technologies and their linkages with the natural resource endowments of African subnational regions will offer a rigorous information base that can be used to identify and assess the actual opportunities and concurrent strategies for African economies offered by CRM-based technological progress. This analysis will provide new scientific evidence to reflect on a new and fair partnership and cooperation model between European and Africa countries and regions.