# Minerals Become Geopolitical Leverage

Control of mineral mining and refining is turning into a recurring instrument of statecraft, driving duplicated supply chains, higher input costs, and rising resource nationalism among producing nations.

- Conviction: 40 / 100 (forming)
- Horizon: Emerging (watchlist)
- Tracking since: 2026-07-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Last updated: 2026-07-15T05:33:49.532Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/trends/critical-minerals-resource-nationalism
- Publisher: Polylog
- Affected regions: China, Africa

## Recent evidence

- [confirms] China's Critical-Minerals Controls Distort Markets and Fuel Resource Nationalism (2026-07-15): China's export restrictions on rare earths and niche metals are distorting global markets and fueling resource nationalism, per the markets report, further establishing mineral control as a recurring instrument of statecraft.