The new green gold rush

The world is racing toward a cleaner future, but beneath the glossy talk of solar farms and electric cars lies a harder truth: the green transition. These “green minerals” are the new oil and the countries that control them hold the keys to the next economic and geopolitical order. As nations hustle for lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earths, a silent power shift is underway, shaping alliances, rivalries and even the tone of border disputes.

Green minerals: The new global power currency

Green minerals, often called critical minerals, are the raw materials essential for clean-energy technologies. They include lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, graphite and rare earth elements (REEs). These minerals are the backbone of batteries, wind turbines, electric vehicles, high-efficiency chips and advanced defence technologies.

In simple terms:

No lithium → No EVs

No cobalt → No long-range batteries

No rare earths → No wind turbines or modern fighter jets

As the world transitions away from fossil fuels, the demand for these minerals is exploding — often outpacing supply. This has triggered what many analysts call a 21st-century resource scramble, comparable to the oil wars of the last century, but more complex and dispersed.

Who owns what: The new map of power

Here’s a quick breakdown of countries dominating key green minerals:

1. Lithium (for batteries)

• Australia – world’s top producer
• Chile & Argentina (Lithium Triangle) – massive brine reserves
• China – not top in reserves, but dominates processing

2. Cobalt (for battery stability)

• Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – controls around 70% of global output
• China – owns most DRC mines, controls global refining

3. Nickel (for EV battery range)

• Indonesia – world leader
• Philippines
• Russia & New Caledonia

4. Rare Earth Elements (for electronics & defence)

• China – absolute giant; 60-70% of global production and over 80% of refining
• USA, Australia, Myanmar — smaller but growing

5. Copper (electric wiring of the world)

• Chile – biggest producer
• Peru
• China

It’s not just about having these minerals. It’s about controlling the processing and refining. And this is where China outpaces everyone else.

Is China using its mineral advantage as leverage?

Yes, but not in the simplistic “bullying” narrative often imagined. China’s dominance is not just due to geological luck; it’s the result of decades of strategic planning, state-backed investments and global acquisitions. China controls:

• Most of the world’s rare-earth refining
• A majority of cobalt processing
• Large stakes in lithium mines abroad
• A near-monopoly on battery manufacturing

This gives China immense leverage over global supply chains. When tensions rise, whether with the US, Japan or India, China has repeatedly used export restrictions on minerals as a geopolitical tool.

Does China’s mineral dominance influence its posture toward India?

Indirectly, yes. It gives China confidence in its long-term economic positioning, reduces its vulnerability to global sanctions and strengthens its geopolitical swagger. While the India-China border disputes have deeper historical roots, China’s dominance in critical minerals certainly amplifies its strategic self-assurance.

But India is not helpless and the picture is evolving.

Where India stands in the new green-mineral world

India’s position is mixed, neither weak nor dominant.

India has:

• Good reserves of lithium (newly discovered in J&K)
• Strong graphite and rare-earth potential
• Large reserves of copper, bauxite and manganese
• Skilled technical manpower
• A massive domestic market for EVs and renewables

India lacks:

• Large-scale cobalt reserves
• High-quality nickel deposits
• Advanced refining and processing ecosystems
• Deep global mining stakes like China

But India is moving fast:

• Launching a Critical Minerals Mission
• Securing mines abroad in Australia, Argentina and Africa
• Developing its first domestic lithium processing plants
• Partnering with the US, Australia and Japan under the Indo-Pacific frameworks

In global rankings:

• Lithium: Emerging player
• Graphite: Moderate potential
• Rare Earths: Possesses about 6% of global reserves
• Copper & manganese: Among top 10 globally

India’s biggest challenge isn’t geology, it’s speed. The world is in a rush and India must move faster if it wants a seat at the top table.

Why this mineral race matters for everyone

For a layperson, it means:

• Cleaner energy doesn’t come free. There’s a supply chain behind every EV and solar panel
• The cost of gadgets, batteries, vehicles and electricity is directly tied to mineral availability

For a competitive exam aspirant, it means:

• This is a major topic under international relations, economic geography and energy security
• The mineral race influences India-China relations, Indo-Pacific strategies, QUAD initiatives and future trade policies

For geopolitics, it means:

• The world is shifting from petro-politics to electro-politics

The future will be mined, not drilled

We are entering an era where power will not be measured by barrels of oil, but by the minerals that make clean energy possible. The nations that master this supply chain — discover, mine, refine and innovate — will lead the next global order. China saw this early and acted ruthlessly. India has woken up late, but not too late.

The stakes are enormous: economic independence, energy security and geopolitical influence. If India accelerates exploration, builds processing muscle and secures global mineral partnerships, it can reshape its “middle-power” label into true strategic weight.