Articles

professor Herman Matthijs (UGent, VUB) Zinc mining isn't just about zinc. It's about critical byproduct minerals essential for defense and advanced technology. Europe stood by as Nyrstar, a world-leading European zinc smelter traded in Brussels, fell into the hands of Singapore-based commodity trader Trafigura. A preventable loss with lasting geopolitical consequences. In this video professor Herman Matthijs (UGent, VUB) explains how Europe is losing this strategic race.

When De Tijd highlighted zinc’s vital role in the green transition, it might have sounded like a niche industrial story. Zinc may not appear on the European Commission’s list of “critical” materials, but its byproducts — germanium, indium, and gallium — are indispensable for semiconductors, fiber optics, batteries, and advanced defense systems. These rare metals place zinc smelters like Nyrstar at the heart of a geopolitical contest. As demand for critical minerals surges, Eu

As geopolitical tensions and fears of war escalate, the race for strategic raw materials has reached a fever pitch among the world’s major power blocs. Commodity giants such as Glencore and Trafigura are cashing in on global scarcity, posting record-breaking profits that underscore their growing dominance in the global supply chain. Traders Thrive Amid Geopolitical Turmoil A recent Bloomberg article confirms that the world’s top metal traders are among the biggest beneficiari

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In recent posts, I warned about Europe’s eroding grip on critical industrial capabilities. Now, new evidence from Australia confirms just...

'Critical infrastructure and smelting capacity are a national security issue and therefore they need some kind of government ownership or...

"Trafigura has been exploring a range of potential deals involving the metals business as it weighs the future of the unit, Bloomberg...