Latin America’s critical minerals boom gains momentum amid global supply fears

In a Q&A with BNamericas, White & Case's Global Head of Mining & Metals Rebecca Campbell discusses how growing concerns over supply security and geopolitical alignment are accelerating investment in Latin America's critical minerals sector.

Campbell explains that structural shortages in several critical minerals, combined with the evolution of the narrative from energy transition to energy, economic and defense security, have spurred policy support and new financing initiatives, particularly from US-backed institutions such as the DFC, IFC, US Exim Bank and other export credit agencies. This multilateral and ECA activity builds on Latin America's long-standing "DNA" in project finance, and has helped advance large-scale copper, gold, lithium and rare earths projects in countries including Brazil, Chile, Peru and especially Argentina, while even high risk early stage jurisdictions such as Venezuela are beginning to re emerge on investors' radar.

She adds that investors still face infrastructure, fiscal and regulatory challenges, particularly for greenfield projects, and that geopolitical tensions, including in the Middle East, are affecting capital flows as some Middle Eastern investors adopt a more cautious, liquidity-focused stance that could slow or reshape mining deals in Latin America.

Read the full article here. (paywalled).

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