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Critical Minerals

Critical minerals are raw materials deemed essential to economic security and the functioning of modern technologies, yet vulnerable to supply disruption. The category typically includes rare-earth elements, lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese, platinum-group metals and other substances vital to batteries, renewable energy systems, electronics and defence applications. Governments and industry bodies maintain evolving lists of critical minerals based on supply-chain risk, import dependence and strategic importance. Demand has surged with the global transition to electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage and low-carbon infrastructure. Many critical minerals are geographically concentrated, with production dominated by a handful of countries, raising concerns over geopolitical leverage and supply security. Africa holds significant reserves of several critical minerals, including cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo, manganese in South Africa and Gabon, and graphite in Mozambique and Tanzania. Investment in exploration, processing capacity and downstream beneficiation has intensified as nations seek to secure domestic supply chains. Environmental and social governance standards, artisanal mining practices and infrastructure deficits remain key challenges in scaling responsible production. The sector is closely watched by policymakers, investors and technology companies as competition for secure, ethical supply intensifies.

Latest Articles in 60 Seconds

Canada backs Red Chris copper/gold expansion

Imperial Metals has confirmed $500-million in Canadian government support for the Red Chris block cave transition, a joint venture with Newmont expected to extend the mine's life by about 14 years and create more than 1 800 construction jobs, as it strengthens critical mineral supply chains.

Brazil targets bigger share of global output

Brazil's Mines and Energy Ministry is preparing to unveil a National Mining Plan 2050, aiming to lift its share of global critical minerals production to 12.2% by 2050 from 8.3% currently, while cutting permitting times and reducing fertiliser import dependence; the plan highlights Brazil's large rare earth reserves amid US-China trade tensions over the sector.

US doubles down on Pacific minerals access

New US ambassador Jared Novelly says securing Cook Islands seabed minerals, including polymetallic nodules used in batteries, has become a top priority as Washington seeks to reduce reliance on China-dominated supply chains, following a February framework agreement between the US and the Cook Islands on critical minerals research and supply-chain security.

Critical Minerals Updates


Clearwater project in Alberta
E3 to collaborate with European lithium hydroxide converter
Updated 4 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX-V-listed E3 Lithium has entered into a non-binding collaboration agreement with Tees Valley Lithium (TVL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alkemy Capital Investments. The agreement establishes a... 


Kearney mine
Global Battery Materials confirms promising economics for Kearney graphite mine restart
Updated 5 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

Vertically integrated critical minerals company Global Battery Materials has announced a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on the Kearney graphite project, in Ontario, finding an... 


Wolfsberg lithium project, in Austria
Greenland-focused Critical Minerals tasks adviser to evaluate non-core asset portfolio
Updated 5 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

Nasdaq-listed Critical Minerals Corporation has announced a strategic process to unlock the inherent value of its non-core assets, retaining Clear Street as financial adviser to evaluate a range of... 


Caldeira project rendering
Meteoric Resources expands measured resources of Caldeira rare earths project by 246%
Updated 5 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

ASX-listed Meteoric Resources has increased the measured resources of its Caldeira project by 246% to 128-million tonnes grading 2 815 parts per million (ppm) of total rare earth oxide (TREO),... 


Renascor rendering of PSG facility in South Australia
Renascor confirms cost parity for hydrofluoric acid-free process to produce high-purity graphite
Updated 6 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

ASX-listed graphite developer Renascor Resources confirms in a cost study the viable economic potential to use its hydrofluoric acid-free method for purifying graphite for use in lithium-ion... 


Rare earths
Victory Metals ships heavy rare earth concentrate samples to potential offtake partners
Updated 6 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

ASX-listed Victory Metals has successfully dispatched heavy rare earth concentrate to potential offtake partners in Australia, Japan and the US for independent product examination. The company... 


Peru President Keiko Fujimori
Peruvian miner American Lithium welcomes 'mining positive' Presidential election outcome
Updated 6 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX-V-listed American Lithium has welcomed the official confirmation of Keiko Fujimori's Presidential election victory in Peru earlier this week, which marks a positive outlook for the country's... 


Viridis drilling at Colossus project, in Brazil
Viridis announces industry-leading MRE on Colossus rare earths project
Updated 7 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

ASX-listed Viridis Mining & Minerals has upgraded the mineral resource estimate (MRE) of its Colossus rare earths project, in Brazil, following targeted infill drilling. The measured and indicated... 


Sunday Mine Complex
Western Uranium reports higher-than-expected uranium grades after customer testing
Updated 7 hours ago By: Marleny Arnoldi

Canadian miner Western Uranium & Vanadium Corporation has concluded a uranium ore delivery programme at the Sunday Mine Complex to Energy Fuels' White Mesa mill, in Utah. Western Uranium says it... 


Lithium project in Chile
Chile's lithium export value nearly triples in H1 on rising prices, strong demand
Updated 7 hours ago By: Reuters

Chile's lithium exports surged in value in the first half of the year, nearly tripling from a year earlier as stronger prices and solid global demand boosted sales, the government said on... 


A generic image of a coal mine
Council for Geoscience, Netherlands counterpart sign MoU to boost critical materials development
8th July 2026 By: Lumkile Nkomfe

Geoscientific research institutes the Council for Geoscience (CGS) and the Geological Survey of the Netherlands (TNO) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance integrated... 


Empire State Mines site in the US
Titan Mining confirms germanium potential at Empire State Mines
8th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX- and NYSE-listed Titan Mining has confirmed elevated germanium mineralisation across the Balmat-Edwards mineral system, in both primary zinc ore and historic tailings, establishing... 


An image of the Kasiya project
Rio Tinto concludes partnership in Sovereign’s Malawi project
8th July 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Diversified miner Rio Tinto has notified Aim- and ASX-listed Sovereign Metals that it will not exercise its option to elect to become operator of the Kasiya rutile/graphite project, in Malawi,... 


REalloys project site
REalloys inks letter of intent to work with magnet manufacturer
8th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Nasdaq-listed REalloys has signed a letter of intent with a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced permanent magnets, JS Link, to evaluate a strategic partnership to develop an integrated... 


Teck Resources' Trail Operations in British Columbia
Teck to receive up to $400m Canadian investment for germanium, gallium, antimony scale-up
8th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX- and NYSE-listed Teck Resources, Natural Resources Canada and Canada Growth Fund (CGF) have signed a strategic investment agreement to support expanding production capacity for germanium,... 


Lithium brines
US Defence Agency seeks to buy up to $300m of lithium
8th July 2026 By: Bloomberg

The US Department of Defense is buying lithium for its strategic stockpiles as the nation ramps up efforts to reduce supply risks for critical minerals. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is... 


South32's Hermosa project site
South32 garners enviro go-ahead for Hermosa critical minerals project in Arizona
8th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

The US Forest Service has released a final record of decision for diversified miner South32's Hermosa critical minerals project, in Arizona, completing the federal National Environmental Policy Act... 


 A generic image of tungsten ore
Premier African Minerals receives transfer approval for shares in RHA Tungsten
7th July 2026 By: Lumkile Nkomfe

Exploration and development company Premier African Minerals has received an approval transfer from the Zimbabwean government’s shares in the RHA Tungsten project, located in northwest of Bulawayo.... 


Ucore's RapidSX technology
Ucore sends commercial-grade dysprosium samples for offtaker evaluation
7th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX-V-listed Ucore Rare Metals has produced commercial-grade 99.9% dysprosium oxide that will be sent to major rare earth permanent magnet and electronics manufacturers for technical evaluation.... 


Drill results demonstrate shallow mineralisation, strong continuity at Kendrick’s Namibia project
Drill results demonstrate shallow mineralisation, strong continuity at Kendrick’s Namibia project
7th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Aim-listed Kendrick Resources has announced the latest portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analytical results from diamond drill holes TKDD004 to TKDD006 at the Teufelskuppe (TK) project, in... 


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pqt: 0.218s - ct: 0.286s - 288pq - 2rq
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