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Critical minerals (CRMs) are central to economic development, national security, andstrategic competition. Securing supply chain resilience has become a top policy priorityworldwide. For the United States, CRMs are vital in maintaining its military and defenceedge as well as advanced manufacturing industries.
For the UK and the European Union, where domestic mining is limited, stable access to CRMs from third countries will determine their future role in global climate, industrial, and technological leadership. Their transition to digital economies, for instance, depends on reliable access to minerals and the ability to participate in emerging manufacturing supply chains. For China, they serve as indispensable inputs for downstream industries and have been integral to its industrial transformation. For many developing economies holding key reserves, CRMs are crucial both as export commodities and as entry points into global value chains.
The rising mineral demand has been framed as a renewed opportunity for industrialisation and development. CRMs are thus now a cornerstone of economic security and strategic power for both producers and consumers. Yet their expansion is generating two major sources of tension—between countries andwithin countries.