- Government backs critical minerals projects across the UK, strengthening Britain’s economic security by diversifying supply.
- £50m investment will turbocharge domestic production of critical minerals to help shore up UK’s supplies of smartphones, fridges and electric vehicle batteries.
- This builds on over £200m government support for critical minerals projects boosting local jobs and opportunity.
Households and businesses are set to benefit from stronger, more secure supply chains as the UK invests £50 million in critical minerals essential for everyday products – from smartphones and fridges to electric vehicles.
The funding will boost domestic production, support high-value jobs and reduce the UK’s reliance on overseas imports, helping to protect the economy from global shocks and supply disruptions.
With global supply chains increasingly concentrated and vulnerable to disruption, the UK has for too long relied heavily on a small number of international suppliers. This investment marks decisive action to strengthen economic resilience, secure vital materials and support long-term growth as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.
The Critical Minerals Strategy will back British companies to accelerate the extraction, processing and recycling of critical minerals, while investing in cutting-edge manufacturing capability and attracting private investment into the UK.
Today (22 June), Industry Minister Chris McDonald will visit Teesside’s Wilton Centre to officially launch the Government’s programme to industry and tour Seloxium and DEScycle – two cutting-edge firms advancing critical minerals processing and metal recycling.
Industry Minister Chris McDonald said
Critical minerals are vital for our national security, and this targeted funding will support companies in ramping up domestic production, helping to create new jobs and opportunities in local communities, whilst building more resilient supply chains.
Through our Critical Minerals Strategy, we’re leveraging Britain’s mineral wealth, attracting new investment and forming dynamic relationships with partners across the world to boost our economic security.
Founder of the Critical Minerals Association Jeff Townsend said
The UK Government has taken important steps to strengthen the critical minerals sector. As attention turns from policy development to delivery, it is encouraging to see the £50 million grant programme being used to accelerate strategically important UK projects as they reach maturity.
As the home to Seloxium and DEScycle, the Wilton Centre sits in the heart of the North-East of England Process Industry Cluster. Building on its strong industrial heritage, the North East offers expertise in the recycling, processing and recovery of critical minerals alongside growing lithium development.
CCO and Co-Founder of DEScycle and Co-Chair of the Circular Economy Working Group at the UK Critical Minerals Association, Fred White said
We are nearing construction completion of our world-first demonstration facility, with key equipment installed ahead of commissioning. Our disruptive technology is reshaping how the UK views e-waste, transforming its treatment into a sovereign form of urban mining and Teesside’s world-leading industrial heritage, skilled workforce makes it the ideal location for our facility, deploying infrastructure directly supporting the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy.
The funding programme will be delivered through three distinct pillars
- Magnet Hub £20 million to establish a world-class national facility to develop, test and scale up rare earth magnet manufacturing, alongside skills and training capabilities.
- Critical Minerals Accelerator £25 million to support collaborative projects across extraction, processing and recycling of critical minerals, accelerating innovation and commercialisation opportunities.
- Demand Aggregation Platform a new up to £5 million platform to help UK industry consolidate and pool its critical mineral demand across different industries, unlock investment and secure supply through strategic partnerships.
Together, these measures will help grow the UK’s domestic capability across the critical minerals value chain, and builds on over £200 million of funding already provided including through the National Wealth Fund, DRIVE35 and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK’s economic growth and security, Industrial Strategy, and clean energy transition – and the Critical Mineral’s Strategy paves the way to creating resilient supply chains that will help protect British industry during a time of global instability.
Background
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Read Vision 2035 Critical Minerals Strategy published in November 25 [https//www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-critical-minerals-strategy](UK Critical Minerals Strategy – GOV.UK
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The Magnet Hub will act as a national centre of excellence, offering access to specialist equipment, supporting advances in rare earth magnet recycling and manufacturing, and developing the skilled workforce needed to sustain long-term industry growth.
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The Critical Minerals Accelerator will help scale up cutting-edge projects across the UK, increasing supply security while driving regional growth and job creation – backing local communities and putting more money in people’s pockets.
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The Demand Aggregation Platform will help consolidate and clarify UK industry critical mineral demand, facilitate industry-led strategic offtake agreements, and help industry and Government to make better use of UK public finance to catalyse private investment.
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Wilton Centre is one of Europe’s largest R&D and innovation campuses, bringing together laboratory, office and technical facilities with specialist partners that help businesses develop, validate and scale new technologies.
Darren Poland, General Manager of UK Operations, Vale Base Metals said
As a proud producer of critical minerals in the UK for nearly 125 years through the Clydach Nickel Refinery, Vale Base Metals welcomes this investment into the country’s critical minerals sector and the Government’s focus on providing a supportive policy environment to strengthen the UK’s midstream sector.
