IOM3 responds to new Critical Minerals Strategy
The UK Government has launched its new Critical Minerals Strategy.
The UK Government published its Vision 2035: Critical Minerals Strategy on 22 November, setting out its ambition for securing critical minerals and leveraging the UK’s strengths in midstream processing and recycling.
It introduces a new growth minerals list that will complement the existing critical minerals list. This identifies minerals deemed significant for the future of UK-based manufacturing across the growth sectors, regardless of whether they are assessed as critical. Many minerals feature on both lists however, beryllium, chromium, copper, uranium and synthetic graphite whilst not currently assessed as critical are now identified as growth minerals, bringing them into scope for support through the strategy.
The strategy centres on two core policy objectives: optimising domestic production and building resilient UK and global supply networks. It defines success by 2035 as:
- Domestic production: at least 10% of annual UK demand for critical minerals in the aggregate is met through domestic production (primary extraction, processing and refining of critical minerals).
- Lithium target: as part of this, at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium (or lithium carbonate equivalent) is produced domestically.
- Recycling: 20% of total annual UK demand for critical minerals is met through recycling of products to recover critical minerals.
- Supply diversification: supply is diversified, so that no more than 60% of the UK’s annual demand for critical minerals in the aggregate is supplied by any one country.
It sets out that optimising domestic production will help protect UK supply against global trade and supply chain disruptions. This incorporates both strengthening domestic mining to make the most of the UK’s mineral deposits and building an innovative circular economy to make the most of sources already in our economy.
To support businesses, the strategy commits to targeted public finance, assistance with energy costs, and a more flexible approach to permitting, with the scope of the Environment Agency’s priority tracked service extended to the critical minerals industry.
Recognising that the strategy’s success depends on domestic skills and capabilities that span the critical minerals value chain, the government sets out its plan to deliver a joined-up understanding of current and future skills needs, as well as supporting individuals to pursue careers in the industry.
It also identifies a need for greater visibility of UK supply chains and sets out an intention to work with industry to explore a demand aggregation platform to map demand across the UK to help enable better decisions.
The strategy acknowledges that the UK will remain reliant on imports of critical minerals and that meeting future needs of the UK’s industrial strategy sectors will require a step change in the way international partnerships are built. Its approach includes deepening relationships with key trading partners and developing international growth partnerships with resource-rich countries and technology partners.
It outlines that mechanisms for establishing and building resilience in critical mineral supply into the UK defence sector will be considered. It suggests this could include industry-held stockpiles mandated through government procurement mechanisms.
The government aims to leverage the UK’s range of existing strengths to deliver the ambitions of the strategy, boosting domestic production while demonstrating what the UK brings to international growth partnerships. These strengths are identified as research and development and innovation, midstream processing and recycling expertise, expertise across the value chain and the UK’s mineral wealth, centre of mining finance and metals trading, regional clusters, and international development and diplomacy.
Funding of up to £50 million is set to be made available to the Department for Business and Trade to support critical minerals projects, with further details promised in 2026.
IOM3 CEO Colin Church CEnv FIMMM said, ‘IOM3 welcomes publication of the new UK Critical Minerals Strategy and its clear commitment to strengthening domestic production through both making the most of its mineral deposits and the value already in the economy. It is good to see this approach extend beyond recycling to include reduction, substitution, reuse, repair and extending product lifetimes, as well as the ongoing commitment from DBT to work closely with Defra on the forthcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan for England and to align with work across the devolved governments.
'The new strategy will help to give industry the certainty it needs to unlock investment and accelerate domestic projects. To deliver the step change required, a clearer picture of UK supply chains is needed, and the proposed mapping will go some way towards achieving the more informed, joined-up approach IOM3 has consistently called for.
'The inclusion of growth minerals and the drive to better understand future demand, vital to the UK’s growth sectors, positively reflects the recommendations published by the Task & Finish Group on Industry Resilience for Critical Minerals.
'However, the strategy still falls short of shifting the dialogue from critical minerals to critical materials. Technology, industry and the low-carbon transition do not rely on individual minerals or elements, but on combinations processed into engineered materials. Recognising this is essential for building true supply chain resilience.
'Professionals will be central to implementing the strategy and delivering its ambition. As highlighted in the IOM3 report, The talent gap: critical skills for critical materials, there are significant risks posed by current and future skills gaps. Recognition of the growing demand, and the commitment to work with Skills England and the Department for Work and Pensions to understand and support future skills needs is, therefore, welcome. IOM3 looks forward to continuing to support this important agenda.
Overall, the strategy represents a positive and necessary step forward. The focus must now shift to implementation to ensure the UK does not fall behind in securing the materials essential to its modern economy and future.’
Read the UK Critical Minerals Strategy
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