New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) : Chinese investment in Africa’s mineral sector is coming under increasing scrutiny as allegations of environmental damage and human rights abuses linked to mining projects have surged across the continent, according to a new report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC).
The report cited by US-based ADF (Africa Defense Forum) found that allegations connected to Chinese mining operations in Africa more than doubled, rising from 45 cases in 2024 to 100 in 2025.
The accusations are primarily related to the extraction of critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, lithium and nickel, which are essential for electric vehicles, batteries and other technologies driving the global clean energy transition.
Titled “Shifting Ground: Human Rights, Chinese Investment and the Rush for Transition Minerals,” the report documented 326 allegations of environmental and human rights abuses linked to Chinese companies involved in transition mineral projects worldwide between 2023 and 2025. Africa accounted for 119 of these allegations, representing nearly 37 per cent of the global total.
The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded the highest number of allegations at 52, followed by Zimbabwe with 20, Guinea with 18, Zambia with 15 and Namibia with eight.
Researchers warned that as competition for critical minerals intensifies, communities living near mining operations are increasingly bearing the environmental and social costs of resource extraction.
According to the report, the rapid expansion of mining activities is taking place alongside a growing number of strategic mineral agreements between foreign powers and African governments.
Critics argue that many such deals are negotiated without meaningful consultation with affected communities and often lack strong human rights and environmental safeguards.
Africa holds an estimated 30-40 per cent of the world’s critical mineral reserves, making it a key supplier for the global energy transition. China remains the largest extractor and importer of raw minerals and metals from the continent and is also a leading financier of mining projects across Africa, the report stated.
