The world is in the midst of a new scramble for natural resources, this time not for fossil fuels but for critical minerals […]"
— Adam, Arezki and van der Ploeg (2026)
Oxford EARTH researchers have contributed four papers to a special issue of The Oxford Review of Economic Policy, including one written by Professor Jon Blundy. Together, these papers explore the socio-economic, geological, political and environmental dimensions of the global scramble for critical minerals. You can view all the articles individually below or if you would like to read the full journal issue you can find it here.
The Scramble for Critical Minerals – C. Adam, R. Arezki and F. van der Ploeg
Critical Raw Materials: Geological Perspectives, Unconventional Resources and Disruptive Opportunities – J. Blundy
Detecting Critical Mines: A Perspective from the Sky – S. Barzin, R. Arezki and F. van der Ploeg
On the Politics and Economics of the Shift from Fossil Fuels to Critical Minerals – R. Arezki, M. Ross and F. van der Ploeg
