United Kingdom Opens £25 Million Critical Minerals Accelerator

What happened

On August 5, the UK government opened applications for the Critical Minerals Accelerator, a £25 million competitive grant scheme intended to move UK based innovations closer to commercial scale across mineral extraction, midstream processing and recycling.

The scheme is aimed at projects at technology readiness levels 6 to 8: pilot, demonstrator and precommercial technologies that are comparatively close to market but still face barriers in proving unit economics, reducing process risk or attracting public and private finance.

Individual awards are expected to range from £150,000 to £3 million. Applications close on September 30, funding decisions are expected in November or December, and supported activity must be completed by March 31, 2030.

Signal reading

The scheme’s strategic significance comes from its design as a delivery instrument. The government has identified a specific execution gap: technologies advanced enough to matter but not yet sufficiently proven or financeable to cross into commercial deployment. Defined maturity levels, award ranges and delivery dates convert critical minerals policy into an allocation mechanism.

Next proof point: the composition of the awarded portfolio, private capital mobilised and evidence that supported projects progress from demonstration into operating extraction, processing or recycling capacity.

What happened

A temporary final rule from the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security was made available through the Federal Register’s public inspection process on August 5, ahead of formal publication on August 6.

Beginning August 27, U.S. persons engaged in the sale of covered black mass and tungsten waste and scrap must allocate 100% of their monthly sales to U.S. persons unless BIS grants an adjustment or exception. The covered materials must remain physically located within the United States unless otherwise authorised.

For the rule, black mass means shredded lithium-ion battery scrap containing cathode material, which may include lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese; anode material such as graphite or silicon; or other residual battery cell materials. The order runs through August 27, 2027 unless modified or extended.

Signal reading

The United States is moving beyond recognising recoverable material as strategically important. It is controlling where selected secondary materials can be sold and physically processed. Black mass and tungsten scrap are being treated as domestic industrial resources rather than ordinary waste streams available to the highest international bidder.

Next proof point: how BIS applies exceptions, whether other recoverable materials are added and whether domestic processors can absorb the black mass and tungsten scrap retained inside the United States.

What happened

On August 5, Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy announced Decree 0983 of August 4, regulating the Bank of Areas for Mining Formalisation. The instrument will identify and manage an inventory of state controlled areas reserved exclusively for traditional and small scale miners seeking to enter the formal system.

Areas placed in the Bank cannot be allocated to another activity while they remain in the inventory. They may come from six sources, including voluntary returns by titleholders, areas returned through mediation, terminated titles designated for formalisation and areas released from completed state investment projects.

The National Mining Agency will administer the Bank through the AnnA Minería platform. It has six months to issue an operating manual defining evaluation, prioritisation and allocation criteria. Potential beneficiaries include miners already operating in the relevant areas and miners requiring relocation because of environmental or social restrictions.

Signal reading

Formalisation often fails when legal status is discussed without a viable pathway to mineral rights. The Bank of Areas addresses that constraint by reserving a defined inventory specifically for small scale mining formalisation. The regulation creates the architecture; implementation will determine whether it produces durable legal, environmental and operating transitions.

Next proof point: publication of the operating manual, creation of a usable area inventory, transparent allocations through AnnA Minería and evidence that beneficiaries move into compliant, economically viable formal operations.

What happened

On August 5, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education reported progress toward an International Center for Rare and Rare Earth Metals at Satbayev University’s Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation, developed with South Korean research and industrial institutions.

Representatives of the Kazakh ministry, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, the Korea National Rare Metals Center and the Satbayev institute agreed on final organisational and technical arrangements needed to launch the project.

The center is expected to support applied research, technology transfer, specialist training, advanced laboratory infrastructure and pilot industrial projects. Kazakhstan framed the initiative around deeper mineral processing and higher-value products, while the Korean side emphasised stable access to rare-metal resources for research, technology development and commercialisation.

Signal reading

The partnership connects complementary positions in the value chain. Kazakhstan brings resources and an ambition to move beyond raw material supply. South Korea brings scientific, processing and industrial capabilities. The center becomes strategically relevant when this combination produces locally embedded knowledge and pilot capacity capable of moving into industrial use.

Next proof point: formal establishment of the center, a defined governance and funding structure, specific pilot projects and evidence that transferred technologies produce deeper processing or commercial capacity inside Kazakhstan.

What happened

On August 5, Glencore announced that it intends to apply for a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange through Chess Depositary Interests, targeting admission in October 2026.

The company said the listing is intended to broaden its investor base, improve liquidity, strengthen its profile in an important operating jurisdiction and increase financial flexibility. Glencore highlighted Australia’s pool of long term retirement savings and the market’s resources sector expertise.

The announcement accompanies Glencore’s copper growth targets. The company says it remains positioned to reach approximately one million tonnes of annualised copper production by the end of 2028 and approximately 1.6 million tonnes by 2035. It also reported that the Alumbrera restart is ahead of the earlier schedule, with first production now expected in the second half of 2027.

Signal reading

Capital market location is part of mining strategy. Large growth pipelines require investors capable of understanding commodity cycles, long development periods and project risk. Glencore is treating Australia’s investor base and long term savings pool as part of the financial architecture surrounding future copper supply.

Next proof point: formal ASX admission, participation in Australian indices, evidence of a broader shareholder base and project progress toward Glencore’s stated copper growth targets.

What happened

In its August 5 results, Lundin Mining reported that the Josemaria and Filo del Sol deposits, collectively the Vicuña Project, had received approval under Argentina’s Incentive Regime for Large Investments through the Long Term Strategic Export Projects designation known as PEELP.

Lundin described Vicuña as the first copper mining project in Argentina to receive the more favourable PEELP status. The company said the approval provides long term fiscal stability and supports progress toward a Stage 1 investment decision as early as year-end.

Lundin also reported a provincial agreement with the Government of San Juan covering royalties and an infrastructure trust. An advance contribution of US$250 million, of which Lundin’s attributable share is US$125 million, is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The agreement remains subject to approval by the San Juan Legislature.

Signal reading

Argentina is moving from a general investment regime toward project specific execution conditions. Federal fiscal stability and a provincial infrastructure framework are intended to reduce uncertainty around a capital intensive copper development. The remaining test is whether those instruments support an actual sanction and financing decision.

Next proof point: legislative approval of the provincial agreement, the expected fourth quarter infrastructure contribution, completion of the Stage 1 capital plan and a formal sanction decision.