Africa Economy & Business Resilience & Society Report Print this page The critical minerals boom is an opportunity to integrate public health into mining operations By Connor Gregory, Ciara M. Weets, and Rebecca KatzBottom lines up front Surging global interest in critical minerals presents a rare opportunity to fully embed public health protections into mining operations. As the global critical minerals race heats up, resource-rich African countries once again face a double-edged opportunity to harness a wave of investment and economic opportunity in the mining sector, while avoiding resource-curse pitfalls and advancing public health. From occupational hazards to infectious disease outbreaks, the African mining sector has a checkered public health legacy. Realizing these benefits will require deliberate action and to ensure such projects deliver on their full promise, public health should be prioritized as a core consideration, not a peripheral concern. In addition to providing recommendations for key stakeholders, this report explores the intersection of mining and public health in Africa, spotlighting the Lobito Corridor and other prominent mining-driven development corridors and their implications for public health.