Strategic Assessment: Latin American Critical Minerals
Authors: Avery Kachmarsky, Dmitri Gourianov, Fredering Gale, Gulnar Atashova & Stephen Plotke
Editor: Ksenia Luzhko
Latin America holds nearly 45% of global lithium reserves and 38% of global copper production, placing it at the centre of great power competition for energy-transition minerals. This strategic importance has attracted both organised criminal groups, which have infiltrated the mining sector, and Chinese state-backed investment, which continues to expand its influence across the Lithium Triangle.
This report examines the geopolitical, criminal, and governance dynamics shaping Latin America's critical mineral sector and offers recommendations for senior policymakers and private firms to strengthen resilience.
