Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains Programme

This £15 million programme will support the development of resilient UK based supply chains for rare earth elements. With a focus on primary (mine to magnet) and secondary (End of Life to magnet) supply chains.

About the Programme

A wide range of critical minerals are required for the technologies and innovation required to decarbonise the transport, energy and industrial sectors and achieve the UK’s Net Zero ambitions. An electric vehicle not only requires Cobalt, Lithium and Graphite for the battery but also Rare Earth Elements for the electric motor. These minerals and others have been identified as having high criticality for the UK in the recent Resilience for the Future: The United Kingdom’s Critical Minerals Strategy report.

The Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains programme, announced by the Department for Business and Trade, supports the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy and aims to build and develop resilient supply chains to address this strategically important area with an initial focus on rare earth elements. Utilised in electric vehicles, consumer electronics and wind turbines, permanent magnets made from rare earth elements, are crucial in the development of Net Zero innovations.

The programme will support the development of innovation in primary (mine to magnet) and secondary (End of Life to magnet) supply chains. The programme will coordinate and deliver activities within the following areas; international collaboration, skills development, investment (public and private), policy advice and standards development.

Programme Focus Areas

The Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains programme will support collaborative research and development projects, feasibility studies and Innovation Exchange challenges with the aim of building cross sector partnerships and establishing resilient supply chains.
Mining and up-stream

FOCUS AREA

Mining and up-stream

Novel and sustainable mining processes, separation processes, management of by-products.

Mid-stream

FOCUS AREA

Mid-stream

Sustainable mid-stream processes, increased process efficiency to metals, sustainable routes to rare earth alloys.

Down-stream and magnet manufacture

FOCUS AREA

Down-stream and magnet manufacture

Sustainable manufacturing routes to high performance magnets, increased specification of high-performance magnets.

Circular Supply Chains

FOCUS AREA

Circular Supply Chains

Collection and sorting of REE containing products, sustainable routes for processing recovered rare earth materials.

Materials

FOCUS AREA

Materials

Novel materials for high-performance magnets, substitution for high-performance magnets.


Coming in April

Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains Competition Briefing Event

Join us this April for our briefing events (see below), to hear about the programme and competition which will be opening soon. You will learn about the competition scope, eligibility and themes and connect with the Innovate UK team for further support.

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Related Events and Recordings

Wed
5
Apr
2023

Circular Critical Materials Supply Chain Event - Webinar

10.00 - 11.30 | Online

Register for this event
Wed
19
Apr
2023

Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains Networking Event - In Person

10.00 - 16.00 | Birmingham

Register for this event
See all events

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