Romania could emerge as a global force in the rare metals industry as it moves to develop domestic refining capacity, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan said in an interview with Antena 3.
Ivan argued that Romania already possesses strong industrial foundations, including major automotive and industrial wiring manufacturers that currently import refined copper from countries such as India, China and Turkey, despite much of the raw ore being mined domestically. He said the establishment of a rare earths refinery would encourage high-tech manufacturers, including aerospace component producers, to relocate closer to Romanian industrial hubs such as Brasov, Sibiu and Feldioara.
According to the minister, three Romanian projects involving critical raw materials were recognised by the European Union as strategically significant in April 2025. One of them is a €300 million investment to build the country’s first copper refinery in Hunedoara county. The project is being developed by a private Romanian company in partnership with state-owned copper miner CupruMin. Currently, copper ore extracted in Hunedoara is exported for refining in Turkey and Asia before being re-imported for use in domestic manufacturing.
Two additional projects, worth a combined €315 million, focus on metallic magnesium extraction in Bihor county and battery-grade graphite extraction in Gorj county. The Bihor project involves companies from the United States and Canada, while the graphite project in Baia de Fier is operated by majority state-owned company Salrom.
Ivan also confirmed ongoing discussions with a US-based mining company holding licences for rare earth deposits in Greenland. By mid-April, Romania expects to finalise the terms of what would become its first fully integrated project covering extraction, refining and downstream consumption of rare earth materials. The minister said the US company already holds contracts with major aerospace firms.
In December, the Energy Ministry announced that the Feldioara Uranium Concentrate Processing Plant, a subsidiary of Nuclearelectrica, would establish a joint venture with US-based Critical Metals Corp. Under the plan, 50% of rare earths extracted from a major Greenland deposit would be processed at the Feldioara facility. The initiative could position Romania as a stable supplier of strategic materials for microprocessors, aerospace and defence industries.
The project may receive financing under the European RESourceEU Action Plan, which has a budget of up to €3 billion.
