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L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

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Unlike nickel <strong>and</strong> chromium, for which there are some other<br />

substitutes, cobalt has no substitute in great many productions (including<br />

the manufacture <strong>of</strong> jet engines). The USA used nearly 70<br />

percent <strong>of</strong> <strong>Africa</strong>n cobalt in such productions. According to military<br />

strategic documents, the USA rules out losing DRC as its source <strong>of</strong><br />

cobalt supplies. U.S. special agencies constantly monitor the situation<br />

in the region in order to keep the political developments under<br />

control.<br />

A national human intelligence collection directive National<br />

HUMINT Collection Directive (NHCD) on <strong>Africa</strong>n Great Lakes<br />

(paragraph 3 – end) as well as a request for continued Department <strong>of</strong><br />

State reporting <strong>of</strong> biographic information relating to DRC, Burundi,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Rw<strong>and</strong>a calls for highly detailed <strong>and</strong> personal information on<br />

figures at top levels <strong>of</strong> society in Congo, Rw<strong>and</strong>a <strong>and</strong> Burundi. It<br />

asks for details on military facilities, such as airfields <strong>and</strong> army<br />

camps, <strong>and</strong> on military equipment, including numbers, operational<br />

status <strong>and</strong> procurement/refurbishment activity. In relation to Mineral<br />

<strong>Resource</strong>s the following information is <strong>of</strong> particular importance:<br />

– Details on mining <strong>of</strong> diamonds, copper, cobalt, uranium, other<br />

minerals, <strong>and</strong> oil extraction: number <strong>and</strong> location <strong>of</strong> mines, production<br />

statistics <strong>and</strong> revenue generated, <strong>and</strong> extent <strong>of</strong> control given to<br />

China <strong>and</strong> other foreign governments, companies or consortiums;<br />

export statistics.<br />

– Details on mineral, oil <strong>and</strong> other resource exploitation by rebel<br />

groups <strong>and</strong> foreign elements to include type <strong>and</strong> location <strong>of</strong> resources<br />

exploited, <strong>and</strong> revenue generated through sales, customs<br />

duties, taxation, <strong>and</strong> access control.<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>’s <strong>and</strong> Russia’s roles as producers <strong>of</strong> cobalt containing<br />

ores will increase in the first quarter <strong>of</strong> the 21st century due to the<br />

increased dem<strong>and</strong> from Asian consumers <strong>and</strong> the growth <strong>of</strong> chemical<br />

applications. This means that the competition for the primary<br />

<strong>Africa</strong>n sources <strong>of</strong> the raw material will become fiercer.<br />

There's a similar situation with regard to manganese. Like the<br />

two mineral resources described above, manganese cannot be substituted<br />

for anything in steel production. On our planet, manganese<br />

deposits are not particularly rare. They occur both on l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>f-<br />

22

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