MINISTER MULAMBO HAIMBE stood at a televised podium in Lusaka on May 4. He accused the United States of linking a critical minerals deal to a health memorandum of understanding. The U.S. demanded preferential treatment for its mining firms and access to Zambian citizens' data. Haimbe refused the pact. He said these "matters are the subject of litigation in the Zambian courts." The "Imperial Triage" is clear. Washington wants the nickel and cobalt to bypass Chinese monopolies. They are willing to weaponize public health to get it. This paper’s reading: the U.S. government views the health of African citizens as a bargaining chip for battery metals. It is the purest form of mineral imperialism. The state is no longer interested in aid; it is interested in extraction sovereignty.