UK MPs Urge Critical Minerals Fund as China Dominates 7 Refining Categories
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Nov 5
UK MPs Urge Critical Minerals Fund as China Dominates 7 Refining Categories
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Nov 5
Summary
A cross-party business committee said Britain is dangerously exposed to China for minerals vital to defence, AI and net zero, and urged an urgent central policy plus a dedicated finance facility for mines and processing.
China’s grip is concentrated in processing, where it dominates seven mineral categories; MPs were told UK lithium demand could rise 45-fold by 2030 and rare-earth demand 16-fold as Britain rearms.
The committee said that dependence is a national-security risk because Beijing has already shown it can cut supplies, citing a 2025 rare-earth shutdown and chip restrictions that left Europe’s car industry days from stoppages.
MPs proposed a 10-point plan covering domestic mining, refining, recycling, investment and permitting, but said government transparency was so limited they could not be confident ministers met any of its 10 tests.
The government rejected claims it lacks a strategy, pointing to £400 million for domestic production and recycling and 2035 goals to cap any single-country share at 60%, though MPs said the UK still needs closer coordination with G7 and Indo-Pacific partners.