MINEX Forum

Region: Europe

  • EU Faces Criticism Over Plans to Fast-Track Industrial and Energy Projects

    EU Faces Criticism Over Plans to Fast-Track Industrial and Energy Projects

    The European Commission is facing growing criticism after a new report by watchdog Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) accused Brussels of weakening environmental protections in order to accelerate industrial and energy projects across Europe.

    Published on Tuesday, the report claims the EU is using the ongoing energy crisis to justify deregulation measures that could benefit fossil fuel companies, mining firms, hydrogen developers, and major technology corporations. According to CEO, proposed legislation would speed up approval processes for projects labelled as “strategic” or of “overriding public interest,” potentially allowing them to bypass environmental assessments and reducing opportunities for public scrutiny.

    The debate comes amid broader discussions in Brussels over balancing Europe’s industrial competitiveness and green transition goals with environmental safeguards and democratic oversight. The issue has gained further attention following the EU executive’s recent decision to increase free pollution allowances for energy-intensive industries under the bloc’s carbon market by nearly €4 billion.

    CEO researcher and campaigner Pascoe Sabido argued that while the energy crisis initially pushed Europe toward reducing dependence on fossil fuels, industry lobbying has transformed fast-track measures into tools for expanding polluting infrastructure.

    The report warns that the proposed reforms could weaken protections for local communities by limiting their ability to challenge projects affecting health, land, and livelihoods. Hydrogen transport systems, carbon dioxide pipelines, and large-scale data centres were identified as projects that could undermine environmental and social standards.

    Specific concerns were raised over mining developments in Sweden linked to critical raw materials for the energy transition, which campaigners say threaten Indigenous Sámi communities and local water systems. In Ireland, rapidly expanding data centres are reportedly placing additional pressure on the national electricity grid and increasing reliance on fossil fuel power generation.

    The report also highlights concerns over carbon dioxide transport pipelines associated with fossil gas infrastructure. CEO pointed to incidents in Yazoo County in the United States as evidence of potential health risks linked to pipeline leaks, including asphyxiation and long-term health impacts.

    According to the analysis, industry lobbying has influenced several upcoming EU legislative initiatives, including the Environmental Omnibus, the Grids Package, and the Industrial Accelerator Act. Campaigners argue these proposals could reduce environmental impact assessments, expand automatic permit approvals, and restrict access to legal appeals.

    Danish MEP Niels Fuglsang defended accelerated permitting procedures for renewable energy and grid projects, arguing that Europe must speed up clean energy deployment to strengthen energy independence, competitiveness, and the green transition. He also supported exemptions from certain EU water regulations for grid infrastructure projects, calling current procedures excessively time-consuming.

    The European Commission has defended its broader simplification agenda as necessary to accelerate the energy transition, improve industrial competitiveness, and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Environmental groups, however, warn that easing restrictions for polluting infrastructure could lock Europe into long-term fossil fuel dependence rather than prioritising cleaner energy alternatives.

  • Erdoğan Says Türkiye and Syria Continue Joint Mining and Oil Operations

    Erdoğan Says Türkiye and Syria Continue Joint Mining and Oil Operations

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Türkiye is continuing joint mining and oil operations with Syria’s new government, describing the cooperation as part of Ankara’s broader strategy to strengthen energy independence and reinforce its position as a regional energy hub.

    Speaking at the second Istanbul Natural Resources Summit (INRES), Erdoğan said collaboration between Türkiye and neighboring Syria in the energy and mining sectors remains active. He emphasized that achieving full energy independence is one of Türkiye’s top strategic priorities and noted that the country aims to replicate in energy and mining the same level of success it has achieved in its defense industry.

    Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye’s growing importance in global energy transit, stating that the country’s infrastructure currently enables natural gas imports from more than 50 companies across 39 countries. According to Erdoğan, upcoming investments will increase Türkiye’s daily LNG capacity from 161 million cubic meters to 200 million cubic meters, further strengthening its role as a key bridge between energy-producing and energy-consuming nations.

    The remarks came a day after Erdoğan reaffirmed during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump that Türkiye’s support for Syria remains ongoing, stressing that maintaining stability in the country is important for the wider region.

  • Europe’s First Full-Cycle Lithium Project Completes Construction in Finland as €783 Million Keliber Facility Prepares for Production

    Europe’s First Full-Cycle Lithium Project Completes Construction in Finland as €783 Million Keliber Facility Prepares for Production

    Finland has become the first European country to complete construction of a full-cycle battery-grade lithium project, with Keliber Oy’s €783 million ($922 million) facility in Syväjärvi in western Finland ready to begin production in the second quarter of 2026 and ramp to full output by 2028 — a landmark moment for a continent that currently imports 100% of its refined lithium, almost entirely from China.

    The Keliber project will produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide from domestically mined ore, with the entire supply chain — from mine to concentrator to refinery — contained within a 43-kilometre radius. At full capacity, the Kokkola refinery will produce approximately 15,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually for at least 18 years, equivalent to around 10% of Europe’s current demand. Keliber Oy is 80% owned by South African mining major Sibanye-Stillwater, with the remaining 20% held by the Finnish state through Finnish Minerals Group.

    An additional €200 million ($235 million) has been committed by the Finnish government and Sibanye-Stillwater to support project ramp-up, while the European Investment Bank has contributed €150 million ($177 million) in financing. The project has been designated a Strategic Project under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act.

    Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto described the project as a key component of Finland’s National Battery Strategy that increases the country’s and the EU’s self-sufficiency in critical raw materials. Keliber CEO Hannu Hautala said the facility would help Europe reduce dependence on imports from Asian countries and Australia, with lithium hydroxide output destined for the European battery industry.

    The project spans more than 500 square kilometres with six additional mining sites planned in the area. Europe currently relies on foreign sources for approximately 81% of extracted lithium and 100% of refined lithium, with EU demand projected to grow twelve-fold by 2030 and twenty-one-fold by 2050.

  • KGHM Eyes African and European Acquisitions to Feed Polish Smelters as Copper Boom Fuels Expansion Ambitions

    KGHM Eyes African and European Acquisitions to Feed Polish Smelters as Copper Boom Fuels Expansion Ambitions

    KGHM Polska Miedz, the European Union’s largest copper producer, is pursuing an international expansion strategy focused on adding up to 100,000 tonnes of annual production through acquisitions in Europe and Africa while simultaneously evaluating takeover targets across the Americas, as record copper prices and surging demand from the energy transition drive the Polish miner’s most ambitious growth push in years.

    Chief executive Remigiusz Paszkiewicz said the company’s nearer-term expansion priority is securing long-term, stable raw material supplies for its Polish smelters — a strategic necessity given rising processing costs and the company’s deliberate policy of not over-exploiting its domestic deposits. A memorandum on potential investments in Morocco’s raw materials sector has already been signed, and several other locations are under consideration. “The plans for Morocco and several other locations are directly linked to the necessity of securing long-term, stable supplies for our smelters,” Paszkiewicz said.

    KGHM’s stock has surged 180% since the start of last year, lifting its market capitalisation to nearly $18 billion, as copper traded near record highs on demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure, electric vehicles and renewable energy deployment. The company has also benefited from its rare dual position as a significant producer of both copper and silver.

    In the Americas, the company is evaluating assets in Chile, Argentina, the US and Canada and expects to narrow its target list and make a final decision within several months. KGHM’s international operations, acquired primarily through its $2.84 billion purchase of Quadra FNX Mining in 2011, have only recently turned consistently profitable but now generate nearly half of group EBITDA despite accounting for just 20% of volumes. Its Sierra Gorda open-pit mine in Chile reported first-quarter C1 costs 47% lower than its Polish underground operations, underlining the financial rationale for further Americas exposure.

    Domestically, KGHM sees opportunity in Lumina Metals’ discovery of rich copper deposits near its existing Polish sites. Rather than viewing the Canadian company as a competitive threat, Paszkiewicz framed it as a processing opportunity. “There’s no better place for processing their raw materials than at our Glogow smelter,” he said, adding that Lumina’s investment could also provide impetus for reducing Poland’s copper extraction tax — a cost burden that weighs on domestic production economics.

  • Allied Critical Metals Secures $40 Million Financing and Off-Take Deal for Portuguese Tungsten Projects as Nasdaq Listing Targeted

    Allied Critical Metals Secures $40 Million Financing and Off-Take Deal for Portuguese Tungsten Projects as Nasdaq Listing Targeted

    Allied Critical Metals has announced a transformational $40 million financing and off-take package for its Borralha and Vila Verde tungsten projects in northern Portugal, positioning the Vancouver-based company for initial production at its Vila Verde pilot plant by the fourth quarter of 2026 and a potential Nasdaq listing later this year.

    The financing comprises a $25 million private placement at $2.05 per share, of which $10 million closed on 27 April 2026 with the remainder expected by mid-July, plus a separate $15 million project financing facility to fund construction of the Vila Verde pilot plant. The existing strategic investor has also entered into an off-take agreement covering 50% of tungsten concentrates produced at the pilot plant, underpinned by a floor price of $1,000 per metric tonne unit for 2026. Notably, the agreement includes flexibility for US Department of War agencies and Portuguese defence sector body IdD Portugal Defense — which has recognised the project as strategically important for Portugal, Europe and NATO supply chains — to purchase concentrates directly from the company.

    Allied’s total available liquidity now stands at over $45 million, covering both pilot plant construction and stated operational objectives through 2026. Chief executive Roy Bonnell said being fully financed through to the end of 2027 one year into the company’s public life represented a strong position.

    On the exchange front, Allied has applied for Tier 1 mining issuer listing on the TSX Venture Exchange, expected to complete within approximately four weeks. Upon completion, the company intends to file a Form F-10 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to pursue a Nasdaq listing, aimed at broadening its shareholder base and enhancing share liquidity.

    At the Borralha project, a 20,000 metre drilling campaign is underway with six rigs now mobilised, targeting completion by end of July. Drilling has intersected over 200 metres of breccia with multiple zones of visible wolframite, molybdenite and chalcopyrite mineralisation at the newly identified Venise Breccia target. First assay results are expected in early June. A preliminary economic assessment published in April outlined a net present value of $473 million and an internal rate of return of 48.8% at a medium tungsten price scenario of $1,000 per mtu, based on a resource of 13 million measured and indicated tonnes grading 0.21% tungsten trioxide. At the Vila Verde project, long-lead equipment procurement for the pilot plant has begun, with delivery of major packages targeted for late 2026 and commissioning to follow.

  • Europe’s National Critical Minerals Funds Are Finally Writing Cheques — But Private Capital and Midstream Investment Remain the Missing Pieces

    Europe’s National Critical Minerals Funds Are Finally Writing Cheques — But Private Capital and Midstream Investment Remain the Missing Pieces

    Europe’s national raw materials funds are moving from commitment to deployment, but significant structural challenges remain between the billions pledged by France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands and the actual financing of projects that can deliver supply chain security, according to a frank discussion at the EIT Raw Materials Summit in Brussels.

    The session, which brought together fund representatives and industry figures, centred on what participants described as the “valley of death” facing Europe’s raw materials sector — the financing gap between early-stage project development and the bankable infrastructure investments that traditional capital markets are willing to fund.

    A clear consensus emerged on the role these funds should play: catalyst, not replacement. The German and French models in particular emphasise minority positions and the necessity of robust private sector co-investment, with a target ratio of roughly one euro of public money for every euro of private capital. The objective is to de-risk projects sufficiently to attract commercial investors, not to substitute for the market indefinitely. The tension between strategic necessity and commercial viability was acknowledged as genuine: many projects that are vital for European sovereignty are currently un-bankable by conventional metrics, and the funds must navigate the gap between these two realities without becoming permanent subsidies.

    The discussion highlighted fragmentation as a persistent obstacle. Industry developers need a unified “Team Europe” signal — a coherent, harmonised approach across national fund criteria — but the current landscape of diverging eligibility requirements adds complexity and weakens Europe’s ability to compete with the more centralised approaches taken by the United States and China. Moving beyond national silos was identified as essential for credible global competition.

    Participants also flagged the midstream gap as underappreciated relative to its strategic importance. While mining dominates public and political attention, processing and refining capabilities represent a more immediate vulnerability — one that risks being permanently lost to global competitors if investment does not accelerate.

    The overall verdict was cautiously optimistic: the policy phase is over, the tools are in place, and deployment is beginning. Whether Europe moves fast enough will depend on its ability to synchronise national efforts, attract private capital at scale and protect midstream capacity before it disappears.

  • Europe Must Treat Smelting as a National Security Asset and Move 60 Strategic Projects From Paper to Production, Industry Leaders Warn

    Europe Must Treat Smelting as a National Security Asset and Move 60 Strategic Projects From Paper to Production, Industry Leaders Warn

    Europe has built the regulatory architecture for critical minerals security — now it must actually build the infrastructure. That was the central message from a RawMaterials Summit session featuring EIT RawMaterials CEO Bernd Schäfer and Trafigura CEO Richard Holtum, who argued that the continent’s critical minerals strategy is approaching a decisive moment in which continued policy discussion without project delivery will itself become a strategic failure.

    The sharpest reframing offered at the session concerned smelting. Industry leaders argued that midstream processing capacity — smelting, refining, separation — should now be regarded as a pillar of national security comparable to defence capability, not as a commercial infrastructure question to be resolved by market forces. Relying on foreign powers for processing is no longer sustainable, the discussion concluded, and maintaining existing European capacity on what was described as “life support” is insufficient without a funded, long-term plan covering both capital and operating expenditure.

    The discussion pushed back against a tendency to evaluate critical minerals investment through the lens of short-term cost. The true metric, participants argued, is the cost of inaction — the economic and strategic price of failing to build domestic value chains. The American model of socialising capital expenditure to secure strategic advantages was cited as a template Europe needs to study and selectively adopt, prioritising long-term necessity over short-term price volatility.

    On execution, the session drew a clear line between the regulatory phase — now largely complete through instruments such as the Critical Raw Materials Act and various industrial accelerators — and the delivery phase that must define the coming year. A pipeline of more than 60 strategic projects has been identified and designated. The priority is now to move those projects beyond memoranda of understanding and into operational reality. The CRMA’s single-point-of-contact mechanism for strategic projects was identified as a genuine competitive advantage, with continued regulatory harmonisation needed to create the stable and predictable investment environment that long-term capital deployment requires.

    On international partnerships, the conversation reflected an evolution in European strategy beyond simple resource extraction agreements. The current emphasis is on creating local value in partner countries through infrastructure support, energy access, professional training and job creation — an approach framed as essential not only for ethical reasons but for the practical goal of building supply relationships durable enough to underpin multi-decade industrial planning.

  • EU Shortlists Tungsten, Rare Earths and Gallium for First Coordinated Critical Minerals Stockpile as Rotterdam Talks Begin

    EU Shortlists Tungsten, Rare Earths and Gallium for First Coordinated Critical Minerals Stockpile as Rotterdam Talks Begin

    The European Union has identified tungsten, rare earths and gallium as priority candidates for its first coordinated critical minerals stockpile, marking one of the bloc’s most concrete steps yet toward shielding its economy from supply disruptions after China tightened export controls on several strategic materials over the past two years.

    Discussions have begun with major logistics hubs including the Port of Rotterdam — Europe’s largest port and a key gateway for industrial supply chains — over potential storage arrangements for the proposed reserves. Sources familiar with the matter also indicated that magnesium is expected to be included on the priority list, with germanium and graphite also likely to make the final selection. Most of the minerals under consideration, with the exception of magnesium, appear on NATO’s list of materials considered critical to defence production.

    Ten EU member states are participating in planning groups led by Italy, France and Germany. France, holding the G7 presidency, is pushing for a permanent secretariat to oversee the initiative beyond the bloc’s rotating political leadership cycles — a sign of ambition to make the stockpile a durable institutional feature rather than a temporary political response.

    The initiative follows a late 2025 announcement of plans for coordinated stockpiling and reflects mounting concern that China could weaponise mineral exports during future trade or geopolitical disputes. Beijing’s export restrictions on gallium, germanium and graphite have already disrupted global markets in recent years, while restrictions on heavy rare earths imposed in April 2025 sent dysprosium, terbium and yttrium prices surging. China’s dominance is structural: the bloc imports 93% of its permanent magnets for wind turbines from Chinese suppliers, and the combined market share of the top three producing countries for key transition minerals rose from 82% in 2020 to 86% in 2024.

    Europe’s push to build domestic supply chains has encountered obstacles. Projects designated as strategic under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, such as the Chvaletice manganese development in the Czech Republic, have faced lengthy permitting delays, with fast-track measures under the legislation yet to be fully incorporated into Czech national law.

    The stockpile discussions reflect a broader shift across Western governments from market-driven supply models toward more interventionist industrial policy as competition for strategic resources intensifies. The US, Japan and South Korea are also building reserves or financing alternative supply chains to reduce exposure to Chinese production dominance.

  • Russia Warns Against Western Critical Minerals Push in Central Asia, Calling It Attempt to Exclude Moscow From Its Own Backyard

    Russia Warns Against Western Critical Minerals Push in Central Asia, Calling It Attempt to Exclude Moscow From Its Own Backyard

    Russia has publicly expressed concern about the accelerating pace of US and European efforts to secure access to rare earths and critical minerals in Central Asia, with Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin warning that Washington’s campaign goes beyond commercial competition and amounts to an attempt to build Western-controlled infrastructure on Russia’s borders.

    “We are concerned by the intensity with which Washington is pushing agreements on critical minerals and rare earth metals,” Galuzin told Izvestia in an interview published on Wednesday. “This is not merely about economic competition, but about an attempt to push Russia out and create a Western-controlled infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of our borders.”

    The remarks reflect Moscow’s growing unease as the G7 nations — including the US and EU member states — have intensified diplomatic and financial engagement with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in pursuit of alternatives to China’s dominant position in rare earth and critical mineral supply chains. Russia has traditionally regarded the five Central Asian republics as its sphere of influence, a position now being tested simultaneously by Chinese economic expansion into the region and Western strategic outreach.

    The US has been particularly active. President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of all five Central Asian nations at the White House in November, describing critical minerals as a key administration priority and using the summit to advance new supply chain agreements. The US has since signed memoranda of understanding with both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and backed a $1.1 billion tungsten investment in Kazakhstan with Export-Import Bank financing.

  • Finland’s Terrafame Eyes Scandium Production From Uranium Plant, Potentially Becoming Europe’s Sole Supplier

    Finland’s Terrafame Eyes Scandium Production From Uranium Plant, Potentially Becoming Europe’s Sole Supplier

    Finnish metals company Terrafame is studying the feasibility of producing scandium from its existing uranium recovery operation, a move that could make it Europe’s only producer of the rare earth metal used in high-performance aluminium alloys, defence applications and other advanced industries.

    The Trafigura-backed company has launched a pre-feasibility study to assess whether scandium can be recovered as a side stream at its uranium recovery plant in Finland. A final investment decision is targeted for early 2027, with production estimated to begin approximately two years after that if the project proceeds. The study is expected to be completed by year-end.

    Approximately 85% of global scandium supply currently comes from China, which restricted exports of the metal last year as part of its broader retaliation against US tariffs — making European domestic production a strategic priority. Terrafame said the primary end-use target for its scandium would be high-performance aluminium alloys, where scandium additions enable lighter, stronger and more durable components with applications across aerospace, defence and transportation.

    The company said it would also approach potential customers and explore opportunities linked to national strategic stockpiling initiatives — a reference to the growing number of European government programmes seeking to build reserves of critical materials outside Chinese supply chains.

    Chief executive Antti Koulumies framed the initiative as a resource efficiency measure as much as a strategic one. “By exploring the recovery of scandium from Terrafame’s existing ore feed, we are utilising the full value of our resources, while also addressing the need for domestic European supply of this critical metal,” he said.