Africa is becoming an increasingly important source of strategic minerals for the United States, with nations such as Gabon and South Africa playing a major role in supplying essential raw materials for the American economy.
Dependence levels are particularly high, with the U.S. sourcing all of its manganese imports from Gabon. South Africa also supplies a large portion of several key metals, including 89% of platinum, 79% of chromium, and 57% of palladium, according to data from Visual Capitalist. These materials are widely used in electric vehicles, industrial production, and defence-related technologies.
A shift in sourcing strategy is also underway as Washington works to reduce its reliance on China, which continues to dominate global processing and supply chains for critical materials such as graphite, tantalum, and rare earth elements.
Recent figures show that the United States depends heavily on imports for many of the resources needed in semiconductor production, battery manufacturing, and clean energy systems. Out of 37 critical minerals tracked in 2025, the country has full import reliance on 11, with many others largely sourced from external suppliers.
Some of the most vital inputs are entirely foreign-sourced. Graphite and tantalum are mainly supplied by China, gallium comes largely from Canada, manganese is imported from Gabon, and niobium is sourced from Brazil.
Even less common elements like scandium and yttrium used in aerospace engineering and advanced electronics are also fully imported, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains to global disruptions.
Although Africa holds roughly 30% of global critical mineral reserves, most processing and high-value manufacturing still take place outside the continent.
Experts note that rising global demand creates both opportunities and risks for African countries, as they attract increased foreign investment while also facing pressure to develop local industries and retain more value from their natural resources.