![Gangs dig Amazon's newest 'black gold'](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175420/1723161275/articles/jaWnRLNZ11723185766724/GANGS-DIG-AMAZONS-NEWEST-BLACK-GOLD.jpg)
In the back yard of the federal police headquarters in Roraima, the northernmost state of Brazil, giant sacks lie strewn and overflowing with a jet-black, gravel-like mineral: cassiterite.
Although less high-profile than other items seized during a crackdown on illegal mining in this Amazon state - including a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter painted in the colours of the Brazilian flag - cassiterite has become so sought-after that it is nicknamed "black gold".
Cassiterite is the chief ore of tin, a less heralded but critical mineral for the energy transition. It is used in coatings for solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and solder for electronics.
According to the International Energy Agency, the demand for critical energy minerals is due to almost triple by 2030.
In a world market heated by demand from multinational companies and with prices for tin on the rise-up 29% in the first six months of this year - Brazil has become one of the world's largest exporters of the metal.
However, as well as increasing profits and commodity exports, the rush for cassiterite has become a new environmental and policing problem.
Considered a conflict mineral in the European Union and the US, cassiterite has increasingly attracted illegal mining gangs in the Brazilian Amazon.
Criminals have also profited from the illegal extraction of manganese and copper, which are also vital to the energy transition. Prices for these minerals have also rocketed this year.
The search for critical metals gained momentum after Brazil's government launched initiatives to encourage mining investment, given the growing interest of international mining firms in the country's mineral wealth.
The development bank BNDES and the Brazilian mining multinational Vale are planning to launch an investment fund to support domestic projects to produce critical minerals with the government publishing an investors' manual.
Denne historien er fra August 09, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra August 09, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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When it comes to a good savoury crumble it's all down to the detail
\"Savoury crumbles are a really good idea, so I don't get why we don't make them more often,\" says Esther Clark, who writes The Good Home Cook Substack. As Clark notes: \"Crumbles are incredibly forgiving: they go into one tin, there's barely any washing-up, and they freeze well, making them a good weeknight number.\"
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Generation game An American's view of life in China during the turbulent Covid years, through the eyes of his curious, jaded students
When Peter Hessler, the celebrated chronicler of Chinese society, arrived at Sichuan University in the autumn of 2019, he was expecting to take a break from writing. Hessler made his name as a journalist documenting the lives of everyday people during China's boom years in the early 2000s.
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In 2004, the British journalist Chris Heath spent more than a year shadowing Robbie Williams's every movement for his book on the singer, Feel. If this was above and beyond the usual requirements of a biographer, you could see why he thought it might pay off. We tend to be fascinated by success, and the cost that fame can exact upon the individual. And so who better to take such an approach with than both the biggest pop star of his generation and the most self-critical?
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Heartfelt home truth An extraordinary portrait of a 1950s American housewife, based on the diaries of Will Self's mother in an act of filial generosity
Will Self has a history of gonzo premises. He has written novels set in the afterlife, in a world ruled by chimpanzees, in a post-apocalyptic society based on the misogynist rantings of a London cabby.
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'My dance is a kind of prayer'
After success in France, choreographer Qudus Onikeku has returned to Nigeria to bring new life to Lagos's dance scene and to mastermind a pan-African creative awakening
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The lighter side of grief A romcom where love never dies
Marrying your dead fiance may be taboo, but Colin Hanks and director Daniel Reisinger hope their new film will help those coming to terms with their own loss
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Look who's back in anger
Will an Oasis reunion be a success? Definitely. Will it be worth it? Maybe, say Guardian arts writers
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Voters rejected Macron. Why is he still trying to dictate who governs us?
After the electoral turbulence of June and July, few in France imagined that we would be heading into September without a new prime minister appointed to reflect the results of July's parliamentary elections.
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Forget the clothes-eating critters-we should love moths in all their beauty
Let me start with a confession: I love moths. If your instant reaction to that statement is a shudder and expression of dislike (or worse), be assured that you're not alone. It is the commonest response I get. But moths are extremely important and beautiful creatures, and we should all love them.
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Is Starmer's 'reset' with Europe enough to undo Brexit damage?
Every prime minister has their verbal tell-tales. \"Reset\" is a favourite Starmerism. When he visited Berlin last week to pave the way to a bilateral co-operation treaty, the prime minister said he was there as part of a \"wider reset\" in Britain's relations with Europe. There was the same message when he journeyed on to Paris for a grip, grin and chat with Emmanuel Macron. I see why he's fond of the word. \"Reset\" conveys new thinking, a fresh start and altered priorities, while being conveniently vague about the direction of travel or the ultimate destination.