Ok, kiddo. So there's a lot of special rocks in Africa that have stuff called cobalt and copper in them. These metals are very useful for making things like phones and cars work. Right now, most of these rocks are sent to China because they need the metals too. But other countries, especially the United States, want some of those rocks too. So, they're trying to build new roads called railways that can carry the rocks from Africa to their own countries faster and cheaper. It's kind of like a race to see who can get the most special rocks. Read from source...

1. The title is misleading and sensationalist, implying a conflict between the US and China over African rail projects, while the main focus of the article is on the copper and cobalt mining and transportation sector, which involves multiple stakeholders and actors beyond these two countries. A more accurate title could be "Copper And Cobalt Mining Boom In Africa: How US-China Rivalry Shapes The Strategic Mineral Supply Chains".
2. The article uses vague terms such as "strategic mineral supply chains" and "battleground", which do not convey the complexity and diversity of the actors, interests, and issues involved in the African mining and transportation sector. These terms also imply a zero-sum game scenario, where one country's gain is another's loss, which is not necessarily true for all cases.
3. The article relies heavily on secondary sources, such as press releases, reports, and statements from governments, companies, and institutions, without providing critical analysis or contextualization of the information. For example, it cites a U.S. Institute for Peace report that claims Chinese entities own all or part of most of the producing mines in the DRC, but does not question the validity or accuracy of this claim, nor provides any counter-evidence or alternative perspectives.
4. The article focuses mainly on the recent developments and announcements regarding the railway projects, without explaining their historical and current context, such as why they are important for the African economy, what are the challenges and opportunities they pose, and how they affect the local communities and environments. For example, it mentions that China provided interest-free financing for a railway linking Zambia to Tanzania in the 1970s, but does not explain why this was necessary or beneficial at that time, nor how it has changed since then.
5. The article omits some relevant information and details that could help readers understand the situation better, such as the role of other actors and stakeholders in the African mining and transportation sector, such as the African governments, companies, civil society organizations, and regional bodies; the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern the extractive industry and infrastructure development in Africa; and the potential impacts and risks of the railway projects on the climate change, human rights, social justice, and environmental sustainability.

Invest in both US and China backed rail corridors for strategic mineral supply chains in Africa. The demand for copper and cobalt is expected to increase due to the global transition to renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and 5G infrastructure. These metals are essential for these industries and have a high growth potential in the coming years.