Action timeline to 2050
What would we like to have and why?
- Interception points in the UK to harvest post use feedstock.
- Remanufacturing and refurbishment facilities in the UK for local value capture and de-peaking dependencies on fragile imports thereby lowering import demands by extended and more intensive asset utilisation of the existing stocks.
- Recycling capabilities to maintain feedstock locally to feed into UK-based material, component and product manufacturing.
- The UK has expertise in REE in key companies such as Less Common Metals, Hypromag, Ionic, Mkango and other companies exploring overseas, and an opportunity to establish itself as a key player in the REE industry1.
- The objective is to improve resilience and to benefit from the economic potential against a likely upward pressure on resource prices and scarcity.
- This will help the UK address the waste that is generated over time and could be seen as contributing to the creation of new jobs and resources.
What do we need to do now?
- Optimise responsible sourcing to encourage decarbonisation and improve ESG-benefits in the provision of both primary and secondary REE raw materials.
- Optimise tracking of UK-based feedstocks and end-of use opportunities to inform private and public sector investments, thus maximising the opportunity to revalorise future REE feedstocks.
- Accelerate the build-up of national recycling capabilities.
- Accelerate development of other nascent CE-initiatives at industrial scale so that UK-based or UK-owned companies can participate in the global multi-billion REPM value chain evolution, including in service provision of post-use and in-use resources.
- De-risk future dependencies via strengthening international partnerships, e.g., diversify supply via more trade deals, support buildup of alternative providers to counter China’s dominance and improve resilience against future supply shortages. Consider strategic stockpiling.
- Invest into research and development to improve CE-inspired levers across all REE value chain segments from responsible sourcing, to improved designs, intensified and prolonged use and improved post-use revalorisation, with improved recycling2 and remanufacturing techniques.
What do we need to aim for in 10 years – and the longer term?
- Given lead times, the UK should actively consider options to promote the build-up of local upstream activities (especially refining), which could operate on both primary and secondary feedstocks.
- Stabilising demand-side regulations, e.g. for decarbonisation and dematerialisation technologies.
- Promote research for alternatives both on the: - Supply-side (e.g. less REPM intensive and dependent technologies and chemistries) - Demand-side (e.g. improved energy efficiency to reduce the need for wind power generation), offering alternative forms of consumption / usage to drive up material productivity (e.g. shared transport solutions, shared heat distribution.
1. Climates programme – https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/circular-critical-materials-supply-chains/
2. Zante, G., Elgar, C. E., Hartley, J. M., Mukherjee, R., Kettle, J., Horsfall, L. E., Walton, A., Harper, G. D. J., & Abbott, A. P. (2024). A toolbox for improved recycling of critical metals and materials in low-carbon technologies. RSC Sustainability, 2(2), 320-347. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3su00390f
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