Britain will invest £50 million ($66 million) to expand domestic production of critical minerals, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on global supply chains and strengthen economic resilience, the government said on Monday.
The funding will support projects spanning extraction, processing and recycling of materials used in technologies such as smartphones, refrigerators and electric vehicle batteries.
The initiative comes as Western economies seek to secure supplies of critical minerals, amid concerns over the concentration of global production and processing capacity.
Industry minister Chris McDonald is expected to formally launch the programme during a visit to an industrial research hub in north-east England, where firms are developing technologies focused on metal recovery and advanced processing.
The package builds on more than £200 million already committed to the sector, according to the government.
Officials said the new funding will be divided into three main areas: £20 million for a rare earth magnet hub, £25 million for an accelerator programme to scale up projects, and up to £5 million for a platform aimed at aggregating industry demand and attracting private investment.
The move reflects growing concern over reliance on concentrated supply chains, particularly China’s dominant position in the critical minerals sector.
China accounts for around 70% of global rare earth mining and roughly 90% of processing capacity, according to industry estimates widely cited by governments and international agencies.
Critical minerals are considered essential for modern manufacturing and national security, with demand rising sharply due to the expansion of electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and advanced electronics.
Britain has already taken steps to strengthen domestic capacity, including the launch of its first commercial rare earth magnet facility in 25 years, operated by Mkango Resources’ HyProMag unit in Birmingham.
The plant uses recycled materials to produce magnets for electric motors and other applications.
The government has also pursued international partnerships with allies including the United States and South Korea, focusing on collaboration in supply chains, processing technology and investment in critical minerals infrastructure.
Officials said the latest funding is intended to accelerate domestic capability while encouraging private sector investment in a strategically important industry.
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President Ilham Aliyev is holding his annual question-and-answer session with international journalists at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum in Azerbaijan.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
AnewZ has launched dedicated Azerbaijani-language digital platforms, making its journalism more accessible to Azerbaijani-speaking audiences.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
The U.S. has launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran targeted a container ship and said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also claimed to have expanded attacks on U.S. military facilities across the Gulf.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washington had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
China has maintained its highest-level rainstorm warning after Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the country's eastern coast, urging large-scale evacuations and emergency preparations across several provinces amid fears of severe flooding and landslides
A 93-year-old British woman has died after being injured in wildfires that swept through southeastern Spain's Almeria province, regional authorities said, bringing the confirmed death toll to 13 people.
More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across 27 European countries during a late-June heatwave, with older people accounting for most of the toll, official data showed.
An overnight fire at a popular bar in Bangkok has killed at least 27 people and injured 63 others, making it one of the deadliest pub disasters in the Thai capital in recent years. Authorities say the venue quickly filled with thick smoke, trapping patrons inside.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States and Iran have significantly escalated their conflict, exchanging heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region. Iran claims it has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
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