A wide range of critical minerals are required for the technologies and innovation required to decarbonise the transport, energy and industrial sectors and achieve the UK’s net zero ambitions. An electric vehicle not only requires cobalt, lithium and graphite for the battery but also rare earth elements for the electric motor. These minerals and others have been identified as having high criticality for the UK in the recent ‘Resilience for the Future: The United Kingdom’s Critical Minerals Strategy report‘.
The program will support the development of innovation in primary (mine to magnet) and secondary (End of Life to magnet) supply chains. The program will coordinate and deliver activities within the following areas; international collaboration, skills development, investment (public and private), policy advice and standards development.
The program on Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains will support collaborative research and development projects, feasibility studies and Innovation Exchange challenges with the aim of building cross sector partnerships and establishing resilient supply chains.