The Rare Metals War

‘Recognising that the latest technologies might not be as green as we like to think is a good place to start planning for a better world.’

– John Arlidge * The Sunday Times *

‘[T]he journalist and filmmaker warns against the optimistic belief that technology is the solution … At a time when many claim to be “citizens of the world” or retreat into naive or hypocritical protectionism, Pitron’s book is an attempt to open people’s eyes to the consequences of their societal choices and lifestyles.’

* Green European Journal *

‘Both novel and eye opening … The Rare Metals War is worth the read.’

– Art Flynn * Irish Examiner *

‘French Writer and analyst Guillaume Pitron warns about growing reliance on rare-earth metal — which are necessary to build high-tech products … He shines a light on “the untold story” of the energy and digital transitions.’

* European Scientist *

‘An expert account of a poorly understood but critical element in our economy.’

* Kirkus Reviews *

‘[E]xposes the dirty underpinnings of clean technologies in a debut that raises valid questions about energy extraction.’

* Publishers Weekly *

‘The Rare Metals War is Guillaume Pitron’s urgent exposé of the race for resources and an examination of its environmental and human impacts.’

– Dan Shaw * Happy Magazine *

Guillaume Pitron, born in 1980, is a French award-winning journalist and documentary-maker for France’s leading television channels. His work focuses on commodities and on the economic, political, and environmental issues associated with their use. The Rare Metals War, his first book, sold 80,000 copies in France and has been translated into ten languages. Guillaume Pitron holds a master’s degree in international law from the University of Georgetown (Washington, DC), and is a TEDx speaker.

Bianca Jacobsohn is a South African and French translator and conference interpreter who specialises in energy, finance, strategic metals, and diplomacy.