India has the world’s third-largest reserves of rare earth elements, but extraction is limited mainly due to technology gaps. To secure a supply that is protected against geopolitical shocks, the country is looking to e-waste recycling.

The Burundian government has shown courage by temporarily suspending the operations of international mining companies in order to demand fairer terms. Yet bold gestures alone do not guarantee prosperity.

The US-brokered “minerals for peace” deal promises to end conflict in the DRC. But for the Congolese people, this sounds all too familiar.