The Geopolitics of Critical Resources: The Impact of International Conflict on Rare Earth Supply Chains and Global Hedging Strategies

The Geopolitics of Critical Resources: The Impact of International Conflict on Rare Earth Supply Chains and Global Hedging Strategies

Mohammed Boubouche, Associate Professor

International Relations,High Institute of Technology

Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco

Ikram Amhchour, PhD Research Student

 International Relations Public Law and Political Science Laboratory

Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences Mohammed I University, Oujda, Morocco

 Abstract

The global transition from fossil fuels toward low-carbon technologies has transformed critical minerals—particularly rare earth elements (REEs)—into strategic assets at the core of contemporary geopolitical competition. Unlike hydrocarbons, whose production is relatively diversified, REE supply chains—especially processing and refining—are highly concentrated, generating new forms of asymmetric interdependence and systemic vulnerability.

This study examines how international conflict and geo-economic rivalry reshape rare earth supply chains and influence state strategies aimed at achieving strategic autonomy. Using a qualitative methodology based on policy analysis and comparative case studies, the article analyzes the approaches of major powers—China, the United States, and Russia—alongside the implications for developing producer states in Africa and strategic regions such as Greenland and the Arctic.

The findings demonstrate that the weaponization of mineral interdependence intensifies geopolitical instability, while alternative models based on managed interdependence and cooperative strategic autonomy offer more sustainable pathways. The article contributes to International Political Economy by reconceptualizing energy security as material security and advancing the debate on the “Green Resource Curse” within the global energy transition.

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