UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Critical Mineral Security

Highlights

• UK Parliament's Business and Trade Sub-Committee launched a formal inquiry into critical minerals supply amid growing concerns over global competition threatening industrial resilience.
• The inquiry examines the UK government's third Critical Minerals Strategy in four years, which for the first time sets specific targets for domestic production, recycling, and supply chain diversification.
• The Committee invites public and industry submissions until April 2026 to assess whether current proposals ensure stable mineral supply for technologies like wind turbines, EVs, and data centers.

_The [UK Parliament’s Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls](https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9679/critical-minerals/) has launched a formal inquiry into the country’s supply of critical minerals, reflecting growing concern that global competition for these materials could threaten industrial resilience._

Demand for critical minerals—including rare earth elements, lithium, and cobalt—has surged as modern technologies such as wind turbines, electric infrastructure, and large-scale data centers require significantly more raw materials than older systems. At the same time, global trade in these resources has become increasingly fragmented amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain competition.

The inquiry follows the release of the UK government’s latest Critical Minerals Strategy, the third such strategy issued in the past four years. The policy identifies critical minerals as a “foundational sector” underpinning eight key areas of economic security. For the first time, the government has set specific targets to increase domestic production, expand recycling, and diversify international supply chains.

Parliament’s sub-committee will examine whether these proposals are sufficient to ensure a stable mineral supply for British industry and how international trade partnerships could strengthen long-term supply resilience.

The committee is inviting submissions from industry leaders, researchers, and the public as part of a call for evidence open until April 12, 2026.

The inquiry (opens in a new tab) highlights the growing recognition across Western governments that critical mineral supply chains are now central to economic security, energy transition technologies, and national competitiveness.