Originally published in Souq, the official magazine of Ghorfa, the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. See more here: https://www.ghorfa.de/wp-content/uploads/souq_1_2026_de_ar.pdf
20 March 2026 – The world is investing billions in technologies that will propel us into the future—clean energy, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, increasingly powerful microchips, and more. Supply of the critical inputs that make them possible isn’t keeping pace.
Demand for copper, for example, is expected to more than double by 2050, but production is so far behind that shortages could begin as soon as 2035. The demand for nickel, a critical component in stainless steel and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, will triple by 2030, particularly in markets outside China. Even the market for cobalt, which can be found in lithium batteries, magnetic alloys, and portable electronics, is expected to grow 7% per annum, reaching 400,000 tons traded in the early 2030s.
At the same time, American and European reliance on imports of these minerals has only increased. Over the past three decades, according to a report from Morgan Stanley, the number of critical minerals which the U.S. fully imports rose from 9 to 15. Imports exceed 50% of consumption in America for 46 minerals, and not just critical ones. Meanwhile, competition between large and middle powers is on the rise. The importance of critical minerals to the defense sector and technological competitiveness have inevitably caused supply chains to become geopoliticized.
Most critical minerals are invariably located outside countries like the U.S. and Germany. This finally puts nations historically endowed with these resources in the driver’s seat. For the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and elsewhere, this is a good thing; when leveraged correctly, competition fosters better environmental standards and more equitable development for local communities.
I founded Global Critical Resources Corporation (GCR) with the belief that we can meet the world’s rapidly growing demand for resources essential to advanced technologies in a way that lifts all stakeholders. We first put our thesis to the test in Chile, where we operate Minera Tres Valles (MTV), a medium-sized copper asset, and Botswana, through our recently acquired Tataki Mine: a nickel, cobalt, and platinum group metal asset.
As the number one producer of copper in the world, Chile will play the decisive role in closing the gap between global demand and supply. Indeed, over the coming decade, Chilean copper production is expected to reach 5.5 million metric tons per year, increasing the country’s global market share to 27 percent. Through MTV—a copper mining and refining complex located near Salamanca—GCR will deliver 13,000 to 15,000 tons of Grade-A 99.999% pure electrolytic copper cathodes by 2026.
In Chile environmental protection and local community development are not just buzzwords; they are core to the culture. GCR will grow alongside Chile, holding MTV to the highest international environmental standards. Our operations now purchase clean energy to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, invest in healthcare and infrastructure, and purchase third party ore from local miners.
In Botswana, GCR runs one of the country’s largest reserves of nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals. After reopening, Tataki Mine will produce a variety of metals and hydroxide salts that are widely traded internationally, contributing an additional 1.5% annual increase in GDP over the decade. For Batswana, new employment opportunities and skill transfer are the key to sustainable, independent development. We’ve therefore focused on local employment and skills training.
And we’re not just stopping there, of course. Over the next two years we plan to invest in a number of new jurisdictions, both de novo and through new acquisitions, and we see incredible opportunity in Middle East, particularly in critical mineral processing.
Gulf countries are endowed with low-cost energy and sit and the crossroads between Asia and Africa, where many of these mineral deposits are located. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman have all signaled a desire to diversify away from oil exports and attract value-added manufacturing.
This January, we met with current and future partners at the Future Mineral Forum in Riyadh, where we discussed co-investment with Middle East partners in upstream mining assets and downstream refining. Saudi Arabia, for example, is well-positioned to process GCR’s feedstock from Botswana, before the materials arrives in Germany, America, and elsewhere.
Ultimately, whether it’s copper in Chile, nickel in Botswana, or a plant in Saudi Arabia, to be successful, investment in the critical minerals sector must be grounded in a committed, values-driven approach that combines technical excellence; environmentally friendly development; and long-term vision. The next decade presents us not just an opportunity to secure crucial supply chains, but also a generational chance to drive investment in communities and protect the environment.
