The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth

Commonweal Ventures hosts Nicolas Niarchos for a discussion on his new book, The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth. Niarchos explores the hidden, often brutal supply chains behind battery metals like cobalt and lithium, connecting the global race for these critical minerals to conflict, exploitation, and geopolitical competition—particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo—while examining the roles of big tech, business, and China’s dominance. Patrick Radden Keefe calls it “an unflinching, landmark work on the nature of extractive capitalism.”