International Conference: The Scramble for Critical Minerals

Rabah AREZKI
Director of Research in Economics at CERDI–CNRS,
Former Chief Economist and Vice-President of the African Development Bank,
Director of the FERDI Chair in Natural Resource Management
Bulbul BUTAIL
Research Assistant, FERDI
Alou Adessé DAMA
Research Officer, FERDI
Vianney DEQUIEDT
Scientific Director, FERDI
Professor of Economics at the School of Economics, CERDI, Université Clermont Auvergne,
Head of Training at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Sustainable Development (IHEDD–FERDI)
Scientific and Technical Director, Labex IDGM+
Audrey-Anne DE UBEDA
Coordinator of research programs, FERDI
Patrick GUILLAUMONT
President, FERDI
Grégoire ROTA-GRAZIOSI
Professor of Economics at the School of Economics – CERDI – Université Clermont Auvergne,
Co-head of the “Taxation for Sustainable Development” programme at FERDI,
Head of training programmes at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Sustainable Development (IHEDD–FERDI).

Date(s)November 26, 2025 > November 27, 2025
LocationClermont-Ferrand, France
Organiser(s)Fondation pour les études et recherches sur le développement international (Ferdi), Centre d'études et de recherches sur le développement international (Cerdi), Oxford Review of Economic Policy

November 26, 2025 > November 27, 2025, Clermont-Ferrand, France

On November 26–27, 2025, FERDI, CERDI, and the Oxford Review of Economic Policy organised an international conference on the scramble for critical minerals.

The conference was structured in two parts:

discussion of the papers selected following the call for contributions for the special issue "The scramble for Critical Minerals" of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy. This special issue is co-edited by Rabah Arezki (CNRS, CERDI & FERDI), Rick van der Ploeg (University of Oxford), and Christopher Adam (University of Oxford)
two sessions focused on public policy orientations, fostering exchanges between institutional stakeholders, researchers, and representatives of the private sector.

Context

Global demand for critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements—is rapidly increasing as countries advance their energy and digital transitions. These minerals are essential for batteries, semiconductors, and clean-energy technologies, and their production is heavily concentrated in developing economies. Major economic powers are therefore competing to secure reliable supply, reshaping global trade and geopolitics. China currently dominates much of the value chain, prompting the United States and the European Union to seek diversified partnerships, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and Central Asia.

For mineral-rich countries in the Global South, this surge in demand offers significant opportunities for growth and industrialization. Yet without strong institutions, transparent contracts, and effective revenue management, these opportunities risk perpetuating long-standing dependencies. Instead, the goal is to turn the scramble for critical minerals into an opportunity exploiting the potential for local value addition and greater participation in global value chains.

The global scramble for minerals also raises major environmental and social concerns, including conflict in resource-rich regions, deforestation, pollution, and labor abuses. Ensuring responsible extraction requires robust governance and international cooperation.

Objectives

Advance understanding of the economic, geopolitical, and technological drivers of critical-mineral demand and their implications for global trade, energy transitions, and international relations.
Identify policy strategies enabling mineral-rich economies—particularly in the Global South—to capture a fair and sustainable share of the benefits through stronger governance, improved fiscal design, local value creation, and institutional capacity building.
Foster cross-sector dialogue among academics, policymakers, industry practitioners, and international organizations to explore pathways for responsible sourcing, supply-chain transparency, and balanced global cooperation.
Generate evidence-based insights to inform ongoing research and public policy, including contributions to the forthcoming Oxford Review of Economic Policy Special Issue on “The Scramble for Critical Minerals.”

Concept note- International conference "The Scramble for Critical Minerals"pdf (482 KB)

Program

Wednesday, 26 November 2025

Introduction

Alou Adessé Dama (FERDI)

Opening Remarks

09:00 – 09:30

Patrick Guillaumont (FERDI)
Simone Bertoli (CERDI-UCA, CNRS, IRD)
Christopher Adam (University of Oxford)
Rick van der Ploeg (University of Oxford)

Special Addresses

09:30 – 11:00

Session chair: Patrick Guillaumont (FERDI)

Sir Paul Collier (University of Oxford) “From Resource Curse to Resource Opportunity: Governing the Critical Minerals Boom”
Jon Blundy (University of Oxford) “The Geology of Critical Minerals” via Zoom
Dominic Rohner (Geneva Graduate Institute) and Mathieu Couttenier (ENS Lyon) “Critical Mineral and Conflicts” via Zoom

Supply and Demand for Critical Minerals

11:30 – 13:00

Session chair: Rabah Arezki (FERDI, CERDI, UCA, CNRS, IRD)

Roderick Eggert (Colorado School of Mines) with Ilenia Gaia Romani (MIT) “From Ores to Outcomes: Lessons for Economists from STEM Disciplines in the Critical Minerals Scramble”
Per Magnus Nysveen (Rystad Energy) “Demand for Minerals and Energy Transition”
Samira Barzin (University of Oxford) “Critical Minerals: Perspective from the Sky”
Andrieu Baptiste and Benjamin Adams (University of Cambridge) “Mismeasured raw-material criticality, misdirected policy: a cross-country review of methods and impacts”

Discussion

Geoeconomics of Critical Minerals

14:00 – 15:15

Session chair: Rick van der Ploeg (University of Oxford)

Aude Pommeret (University of Savoie Mont-Blanc), Mouez Fodha (Paris School of Economics), and Francesco Ricci (University of Montpellier) “Opening Critical Raw Material Mines under Geopolitical Risk”
Jamel Saadaoui (Paris 8 Université) with Russell Smyth (Monash University), Joaquin Vespignani (Australian National University) and Yitian Wang (Monash University) “Critical Minerals in an Age of Geopolitical Rivalry: Optimal Strategies for the U.S. and China”
Kevin Thow (Australian National University) “From Dependence to Diversification? Assessing the Impact of China’s Gallium, Germanium, and Antimony Export Ban”

Discussion

Economic Policy for Critical Minerals

15:45–16:30

Session chair: Christopher Adam (University of Oxford)

Thiemo Fetzer (University of Warwick) “Industrial Policy and Critical Materials”
Gabriel Felbermayr (Austrian Institute for Economic Research) “The Economics of Diversification Tariffs: The Case of Critical Minerals” via Zoom
Gregoire Rota-Graziosi (CERDI, UCA, CNRS, IRD and FERDI) “Getting Tax Right on Critical Minerals”

Policy Panel on Taxation and Industrial Policy for Critical Minerals

16:30 – 17:45

Moderator: Grégoire Rota-Graziosi (CERDI-UCA-CNRS-IRD and FERDI)

Ibrahima Sarr (former Budget Minister of Senegal, Somiva)
Amanda van Dyke (Critical Minerals Hub)
Thomas Melonio (Agence française de développement) via Zoom
Carlo Rossotto (International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group)
Gisela Granado (Extractive industries transparency initiative) via Zoom
Claude Sumata (Université Pédagogique Nationale de la République Démocratique du Congo)

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Special Addresses

09:00 – 10:30

Session chair: Simone Bertoli (CERDI-UCA-CNRS-IRD)

Amanda van Dyke (Critical Minerals Hub) Role of Artisanal Mining in the Mineral Economic Development of Africa
Bin Hu (Tsinghua University) From Industrial Development to Systemic Stewardship: China’s Critical Minerals Policy as Developmental Geoeconomics in the Green Transition.
Michael Ross (UCLA) “Shift from Oil to Critical Mineral Rents”

Socio-Economic and Environmental Aspects of Critical Minerals

11:00 – 12:30

Session chair: Vianney Dequiedt (FERDI)

Fawzi Banao (Université Libre de Bruxelles) “Where is my mine? The effects of mining on conflicts in Africa”
Osmel Manzano and Daniela Valdivia (Inter-American Development Bank) “Mining, revenues, and education in Peru”
Jonah Rexer (World Bank) and Erik Katovich (University of Connecticut) “The global distribution of critical mining impacts”
Cahya Danu Rahman (Gadjah Mada University) “Nickel Downstream: The Impact of Nickel Smelter Development on Household Welfare in Indonesia” via zoom

Discussion

Macro-Development Aspects of Critical Minerals

13:30 – 14:45

Session chair: Rick van der Ploeg (University of Oxford)

Christopher Knittel, Adrien Concordel, and Phuong Ho (MIT) “Comparing the Economy Impacts of Critical Mineral and Oil Prices: A Neoclassical Growth Perspective” via Zoom
Metehan Ciftci (University of Oxford) “Financing the responsible supply of energy transition minerals for Sustainable Development”
James Cust (World Bank) “The Macroeconomics of Critical Minerals”

Discussion

Policy Session on Economic Security and Critical Minerals

15:15 – 16:30

Moderator: Martial Foucault (Institut de Recherche Stratégique de l'Ecole militaire, France)

Vahinala Raharinirina (former Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar, University of Fianarantsoa) via zoom
Grégoire Jean (Imerys)
Bin Hu (Tsinghua University)
Martial Foucault (Institut de Recherche Stratégique de l'Ecole Militaire)
Per Magnus Nysveen (Rystad Energy)
Thiemo Fetzer (University of Warwick)