Minerals: Industry History and Fault Lines of Conflict

Abstract

This chapter examines the history of the minerals industry and draws out from this history some observations on sources of conflict in the industry. It also considers factors which have contributed towards periods of greater cooperation. Although the history of minerals displays some broad similarities with that of the oil sector discussed in Chapter 1, it also has some marked differences to which will be drawn attention in the course of the narrative. Importantly, however, a conclusion of the chapter is that the minerals sector shares with oil clear signs of a shift in recent years towards greater state interventionism and the adoption of state capitalist modes of organization.