Critical minerals news covering lithium, cobalt, rare earths, supply chains, and strategic mineral resource developments.
Researchers at West Virginia University are extracting rare earth elements from acidic wastewater at the Mount Storm facility, aiming to reduce dependence on China. The site can produce about four tonnes of rare earth oxides annually, with heavy rare earths comprising 45% of output, though further separation and refining remain necessary.
European officials and industry leaders warn the EU risks falling further behind the US in securing critical minerals for defence and green technology. While Washington has deployed $40bn in funding since 2022, the EU has committed only €6bn this year, with critics citing bureaucratic delays as a major hindrance.
The article argues that Sherritt International's collapse following US sanctions on Cuba's Moa Nickel joint venture has triggered a global bidding war. It contends that the strategic value of Western-controlled cobalt is driving competition between a Texas-backed consortium and a London-based fund, with the White House playing a key role in determining the outcome.
Critical Metals CEO Tony Sage stated the United States remains years away from reducing its reliance on Chinese rare-earth supplies, identifying processing capacity as the primary obstacle. While addressing concerns about its Greenland project, Sage confirmed production targets for 2029 remain on track despite these broader supply chain challenges.
Nkuli Ncobe argues that Africa must transform its $9 trillion lithium reserves into economic power by developing a regional value chain rather than exporting raw minerals. He contends that coordinated industrial specialization and continental market integration are essential to capture wealth and drive sustainable development across the continent.
The article argues that tungsten is a critical industrial metal due to its unique physical properties, such as high melting point and hardness, which make substitution difficult in aerospace, electronics, and manufacturing. It contends that understanding the complex supply chain is essential given the metal's strategic importance despite low public visibility.
Stakeholders at the AFREIKH Summer School in Accra urged African nations to convert critical mineral wealth into sustainable development, avoiding past exploitation failures. Organized by ACEP and supported by NRGI, the event challenged participants to dismantle old extractive frameworks rather than simply exporting raw materials amid rising global demand.
The U.S. Department of Energy has chosen Nth Cycle to negotiate a grant of up to $100 million for constructing a new critical mineral refining facility in the Southeast United States. Designated as Project SHIELD, the plant will utilize electroextraction technology to process 24,000 metric tons of domestic black mass annually into high-purity nickel and lithium carbonate for strategic industries.
E3 Lithium released Q2 2026 results on Thursday, confirming up to $36.5 million in funding from Natural Resources Canada for its Clearwater Project. The company also commissioned Phase 2 of its Demonstration Facility, validating lithium concentrations of 75.8 mg/L and a flow rate of 1,400 cubic meters per day.
Apex Critical Metals identified monazite and bastnaesite as the dominant rare earth minerals at its Nebraska project through X-ray diffraction analysis. These findings validate historical data and reduce technical risk, paving the way for preliminary metallurgical testwork at SGS Canada's Lakefield facility.