Resource disputes between investors and states hit 10

By Libby George

LONDON (Reuters) -Disagreements between governments and investors over resources are at a 10-year high, law firm DLA Piper said, driven by resource nationalism and growing competition between the U.S. and China for critical minerals.

This reflects the scramble for minerals that will power everything from chips for the AI boom, to electric vehicles, to the valuable oil and gas revenues critical to state coffers, particularly in emerging economies.

The 32 disputes lodged so far in 2025 with the World Bank arbitration body, over everything from oil and gas to gold, uranium and lithium, had already exceeded last year’s total, DLA Piper said.

“As their value has become more apparent, states have felt the need to exert greater control over any deposits of critical minerals wi