Geopolitics of Strategic Resources: Power, Trade and Conflict in the 21st Century

In the current context of geopolitical tensions, energy transition, and fragmentation of global trade, strategic resources have become a major axis of international power. Critical minerals, energy, and key raw materials no longer only determine economic growth, but also foreign policy, national security, and alliances between states. This research analyzes how the control, access, and trade of strategic resources are redefining the global balance of power in 2026.

Strategic resources are considered to be natural goods whose availability is limited, difficult to replace, and crucial for critical sectors such as energy, defense, technology, transportation, and food. These include critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements, and copper, as well as energy resources such as oil, natural gas, and uranium, in addition to strategic foodstuffs such as wheat, corn, and fertilizers.

The transition to renewable energy has rapidly increased the demand for strategic minerals. Lithium is essential for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, while cobalt and nickel are key for energy storage. Rare earth elements are indispensable for wind turbines, advanced electronics, and defense systems. The main challenge is that the extraction and, above all, the processing of these minerals are highly concentrated in a few countries, creating strategic dependence.

China occupies a dominant position in the global supply chain of strategic resources. It controls a large part of the world's rare earth processing and leads the refining of lithium and cobalt, even when these minerals are extracted in other regions. This position allows it to use strategic resources as a foreign policy and trade tool, which has led the United States and the European Union to consider access to these inputs a matter of national security.

Faced with this dependence, the United States and Europe have pursued supply diversification strategies. These include nearshoring and friendshoring, the signing of agreements with producing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, as well as increased public and private investment in strategic mining and the recycling of critical materials. The central objective is to reduce geopolitical vulnerabilities and ensure more resilient supply chains.

Latin America and Africa have acquired a key role in this new geopolitics. Latin America holds some of the world's largest lithium reserves, particularly in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, while Africa is crucial for the supply of cobalt, copper, and other critical minerals. However, these countries face the challenge of avoiding a new dependency based on the export of raw materials without value-added development or technology transfer.

Control of strategic resources has also intensified international conflicts and tensions. The war in Ukraine has disrupted energy and food markets globally, while various conflicts in Africa are linked to illegal mining and territorial control of resource-rich areas. At the same time, economic sanctions have become a tool for restricting access to key resources, increasing rivalry among powers.

This dynamic is transforming international trade. We are seeing increased restrictions on mineral and energy exports, greater state intervention in foreign trade, and a reconfiguration of trade routes and strategic partners. Global trade no longer responds solely to criteria of economic efficiency, but increasingly to geopolitical and security interests.

In conclusion, by 2026 strategic resources have become a central factor in global power. Their control and trade directly influence international politics, security, and world trade. Understanding this geopolitics is essential for countries and companies seeking to anticipate risks, identify opportunities, and adapt to an increasingly competitive and fragmented international order.