{
  "name": "Warconomy — Critical minerals & conflict",
  "asOf": "2026-06-05",
  "page": "https://warconomy.com/minerals",
  "status": "source-backed (citation-only)",
  "feasibility": "USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries is the authoritative free source, but its pages block automated access (HTTP 403) and data is annual PDF / ZIP-CSV per commodity — not a clean key-free, build-and-forget API. Warconomy therefore links to USGS for the figures and publishes none of its own without a reviewed source packet.",
  "note": "No mineral production, reserve or price figures are published here. Concentration is described qualitatively as a structural exposure, never as a causal claim about any conflict.",
  "source": {
    "publisher": "U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)",
    "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries — National Minerals Information Center",
    "url": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/mineral-commodity-summaries",
    "type": "official"
  },
  "sourcePacket": [
    "Exact commodity + country + year (e.g. cobalt, DR Congo, mine production, 2023).",
    "The exact value and unit as printed by USGS (e.g. thousand metric tons of cobalt content).",
    "Whether it is mine production, reserves, or refinery output (these differ).",
    "The exact USGS document title, page/table, and the publication's release date.",
    "A note on estimate status (USGS marks many values as estimates)."
  ],
  "minerals": [
    {
      "id": "cobalt",
      "name": "Cobalt",
      "uses": "Rechargeable batteries (phones, electric vehicles), superalloys.",
      "conflictRelevance": "The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the dominant source of mined cobalt, so battery supply chains are highly exposed to disruption there.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/cobalt-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "DRC: cobalt & copper",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-cobalt-copper-trade"
        },
        {
          "label": "DRC: mining labour & displacement",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-mining-labor-displacement"
        },
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "copper",
      "name": "Copper",
      "uses": "Wiring, electrical grids, electric vehicles, construction.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Central Africa, including the DRC, is a significant copper source; copper is essential to electrification, so disruption raises supply risk.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/copper-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "DRC: cobalt & copper",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-cobalt-copper-trade"
        },
        {
          "label": "DRC: mining labour & displacement",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-mining-labor-displacement"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "gold",
      "name": "Gold",
      "uses": "Reserve asset, jewellery, electronics.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Gold is produced across Africa, including the Sahel; it is both an export earner for producer states and a global financial asset, and can be linked to conflict financing.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/gold-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Sahel: uranium & gold",
          "href": "/briefings/sahel-conflict-uranium-gold-trade"
        },
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "tantalum",
      "name": "Tantalum (from coltan)",
      "uses": "Capacitors in electronics (phones, computers).",
      "conflictRelevance": "Coltan, refined into tantalum, is mined in conflict-affected parts of central Africa, which is why supply-chain provenance is closely scrutinised.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/tantalum-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "DRC: mining labour & displacement",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-mining-labor-displacement"
        },
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "lithium",
      "name": "Lithium",
      "uses": "Rechargeable batteries for EVs and storage.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Lithium demand is rising fast for batteries; new African deposits draw investment, making local stability relevant to future supply.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/lithium-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "rare-earths",
      "name": "Rare earth elements",
      "uses": "Magnets, electronics, defense equipment, clean energy.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Mining and especially processing of rare earths are geographically concentrated, so supply risk runs along the whole chain.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/rare-earths-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "uranium",
      "name": "Uranium",
      "uses": "Fuel for nuclear power.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Several Sahel countries are notable uranium producers; concentrated supply means utilities watch political risk in producer states.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/uranium-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Sahel: uranium & gold",
          "href": "/briefings/sahel-conflict-uranium-gold-trade"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "nickel",
      "name": "Nickel",
      "uses": "Stainless steel, battery cathodes.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Nickel is central to batteries and steel; supply is concentrated in a few countries, so disruption has global reach.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/nickel-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "graphite",
      "name": "Graphite",
      "uses": "Battery anodes, refractories.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Graphite is a key battery input with concentrated mining and processing; African deposits are a growing source.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/graphite-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "tin",
      "name": "Tin",
      "uses": "Solder for electronics, coatings.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Tin (from cassiterite) is mined in central Africa and is one of the minerals covered by conflict-mineral due-diligence rules.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/tin-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "DRC: mining labour & displacement",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-mining-labor-displacement"
        },
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "tungsten",
      "name": "Tungsten",
      "uses": "Hard metals, cutting tools, electronics.",
      "conflictRelevance": "Tungsten (from wolframite) is among the central-African conflict minerals subject to supply-chain due diligence.",
      "usgsUrl": "https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/tungsten-statistics-and-information",
      "relatedBriefings": [
        {
          "label": "DRC: mining labour & displacement",
          "href": "/briefings/drc-conflict-mining-labor-displacement"
        },
        {
          "label": "Africa: conflict & critical minerals",
          "href": "/briefings/africa-conflict-critical-minerals"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}