There is an extensive literature dedicated to examining the links between the abundance of mineral resources and the incidence and duration of violent conflict. While the ‘resource curse’ thesis has become well-known, claims that an abundance of natural resources increases the likelihood of conflict have been widely disputed.
However, beyond the case study literature, there is relatively little research that focuses specifically on the links between the management of mineral resources and violent conflict (i.e. how various approaches to managing mineral resources affect the likelihood of conflict). Nevertheless, one important conclusion which can be drawn from this material is that resource management alone cannot explain the onset or recurrence of violent conflict. Rather, conflict is driven by a complex array of institutional, historical and political factors.
