South Africa is seeking to use its dominance in platinum-group metals to navigate a fraught relationship with the US and, at the same time, strengthen economic ties with China. Washington needs platinum for its automotive and defense industries, as well as for other technologies. For Beijing, the metals are necessary to develop green hydrogen and its broader clean-energy ambitions. Both countries also need the metal for expanding their data center industries. With South Africa holding roughly 80% of the world’s known platinum-group metal reserves, Pretoria is strategically important to the competing powers. However, beyond simply selling raw metals, Pretoria wants US companies to invest in smelters, factories, and processing facilities in South Africa. The government is pursuing this strategy to create jobs, strengthen manufacturing, and diversify the economy.