why go to the trouble of building and maintaining mines in your expensive western country if you can just take all the minerals from african mines, while also getting the profits of these mines. no worries about salaries, no one cares when workers die by the dozens, ...
Because Africa produces a very small percentage of rare earths in mines, and basically 0 in separation, refining, and production of rare-earth components.
i had diamond and cobalt in mind, i'm sure that this doesn't apply to every type of mine. but you can't deny that this isn't a current, imperialist strategy. soft colonialism.
