Critical mineral mines tied to 111 violent incidents and protests on average a year

Between 2021 and 2023, mining for copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel was linked to 334 incidents of violence or protest across 19 top-producing countries, averaging 111 per year. Nearly 90% of these events occurred in emerging and developing economies, while the majority of production is controlled by companies from advanced economies and major consumer countries, primarily China. The report warns that social unrest is likely to increase as production is forecast to spike by 2028 to meet climate goals, potentially destabilizing supply chains and increasing costs for renewable technologies.

• Between 2021 and 2023, mining for copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel was linked to 334 violence or protest events across 19 countries, averaging 111 per year. These events include deadly clashes, protest marches, and disputes over land and water rights.
• Social unrest is overwhelmingly concentrated in less wealthy nations, with nearly 90% of the identified violence and protest events (296 out of 334) occurring in countries classified by the IMF as emerging and developing.
• There is a significant imbalance between where the social burdens of mining occur and where the profits are captured. Between 71% and 81% of mining production for these minerals is controlled by companies from advanced economies and major consumer countries.
• Production of transition minerals is forecast to increase sharply between 2021 and 2028: copper by over 25%, cobalt by over 100%, lithium by over 300%, and nickel by over 75%.
• China is the largest consumer of all four analyzed minerals, accounting for between 40% and 64% of worldwide production in 2024.
• In the Democratic Republic of Congo, mining has led to severe human rights and environmental violations, including the discharge of toxic water into drinking wells in Kolwezi and forced relocations without compensation.
• In Indonesia, the government is accused of using the energy transition to promote extractive policies that benefit a patronage system of politicians and entrepreneurs, while criminalizing community defenders through laws such as the Mineral and Coal Law No. 3 of 2020.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Critical mineral mines tied to 111 violent incidents and protests on average a year. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/critical-mineral-mines-tied-to-111-violent-incidents-and-protests-on-average-a-year/

Chicago

Global Witness. Critical mineral mines tied to 111 violent incidents and protests on average a year. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/critical-mineral-mines-tied-to-111-violent-incidents-and-protests-on-average-a-year/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Critical mineral mines tied to 111 violent incidents and protests on average a year |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/critical-mineral-mines-tied-to-111-violent-incidents-and-protests-on-average-a-year/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndcritical, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Critical mineral mines tied to 111 violent incidents and protests on average a year}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/critical-mineral-mines-tied-to-111-violent-incidents-and-protests-on-average-a-year/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }