A Strategic Framework for U.S. Engagement in Africa’s Critical Minerals

Payne Institute Critical Minerals Program Manager Clarkson Kamurai, Richard Gabah, and Payne Institute Critical Minerals Research Associate Isabel Guajardo write about how advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), and many other technologies are fundamentally dependent on mineral inputs. Africa is emerging as an important partner given its vast critical mineral endowment and increasing openness to foreign investment.  June 25, 2026.