Britain has rolled out a critical minerals strategy designed to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers by 2035, with targets to source 10 per cent of domestic demand from UK production and 20 per cent from recycling.
The government announced the strategy as global competition for these essential resources intensifies.
Backed by up to Stg50 million ($A101 million) in new funding, the strategy seeks to ensure no more than 60 per cent of the UK’s supply of any one critical mineral comes from a single country by 2035, according to a statement on Saturday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says critical minerals “are the backbone of modern life and our national security”, arguing that boosting domestic production and recycling will help shield the economy and support efforts to lower living costs.
The UK currently produces six per cent of its critical mineral needs domestically.
Under the plan, it wants to expand domestic extraction and processing, with a particular focus on lithium, nickel, tungsten and rare earths. It aims to produce at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium in the UK by 2035.
Britain faces an urgent need for a secure, long-term supply of critical minerals, including copper, lithium and nickel, which are essential for smartphones and electric vehicles and increasingly crucial for building data centres that power artificial intelligence.
British demand for essential materials is climbing sharply, with copper consumption projected to nearly double and lithium demand expected to surge by 1100 per cent by 2035.
The strategy underscores China’s grip on critical mineral supplies, leaving the sector exposed to price swings, geopolitical strains and sudden disruptions.
Britain noted China accounts for about 70 per cent of rare earth mining and 90 per cent of refining, a dominance that puts countries such as the UK at risk.
Earlier this year, Britain struck a minerals co-operation deal with Saudi Arabia aimed at bolstering supply chains, opening doors for British firms, and drawing fresh investment into the UK.
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