South Africa Seeks U.S. Investment to Process Critical Minerals Locally
South Africa has proposed a critical minerals partnership with the United States that would support refining, processing and value-chain development rather than raw exports. Trade Minister Parks Tau outlined the plan at a UN General Assembly side event, including an investment platform and a bilateral working group. Pretoria also presented a regional approach that could process minerals such as Zambian copper, Congolese cobalt and Zimbabwean lithium.
South Africa’s proposal was presented by Trade Minister Parks Tau at a Sept. 24 roundtable in New York during the UN General Assembly. It calls for a Critical Minerals Investment Platform linking priority projects with U.S. investors and financiers, plus a bilateral working group to match projects with American supply needs.
Pretoria frames South Africa as a regional processing gateway, potentially handling Zambian copper, Congolese cobalt and Zimbabwean lithium. The country already produces platinum group metals, manganese, chromium and vanadium. U.S. engagement includes a December 2025 cooperation agreement with the DRC, though diplomatic and trade disputes may complicate progress.
If the proposal advances, South African mining regions and neighboring suppliers could see more local processing, potentially creating higher-skill jobs and industrial linkages. U.S. manufacturers may gain diversified mineral supplies. Yet strained diplomacy and uncertain financing may delay projects, leaving communities and regional exporters waiting. The impact could depend on whether talks move from platforms and working groups to concrete investment.