The United Kingdom must strengthen its mineral security or risk industrial disruption, according to a new government assessment that urges the adoption of US-style stockpiling and mining incentives.
A study by Britain’s mineral supply monitoring agency highlights severe vulnerabilities in the nation’s access to materials essential for manufacturing and green technology. The findings have prompted calls for swift policy changes.
“That’s what has to be looked at, what works best for the UK context,” said Gavin Mudd, who heads the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre, referring to potential US-style policies including the Inflation Reduction Act’s domestic production incentives.
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The report spotlights niobium, a key steel additive sourced almost entirely from Brazil, as the mineral posing the highest supply risk to British industry. A disruption would have “a significant effect on the automotive industry,” Mudd warned.
Britain’s mineral security has deteriorated in some sectors. The closure of the country’s last Fluorspar mine in Derbyshire last year left the nuclear and metalworking industries completely reliant on imports.
The CMIC assessment identified 34 high-risk materials, including cobalt and rare earth elements crucial for electric vehicles and wind turbines. While domestic projects like Cornwall’s lithium development offer some hope, experts say broader solutions are needed.
“We’re living in a globalised world,” Mudd said. “That’s what we have to grapple with.”
The analysis, commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade, marks the first comprehensive review since 2021. It comes as global competition for critical minerals intensifies amid rapid growth in clean energy technologies.
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