Africa critical-minerals pipeline surges as output lags
Africa’s critical-minerals pipeline expanded by 36% since early 2025, with 658 projects now tracked, up from 483 in the first quarter of 2025. Exploration projects jumped 82% to 198 and development projects rose 70% to 129, while the number in production increased just 11% to 288. Lithium accounts for most of the recent increase, with 27 of 32 added projects involving lithium, mostly at the exploration stage.
Why it matters: This matters for the critical-minerals theme because the widening gap between exploration and production shows that future supply is being prepared but not yet delivered.