Global Race for Critical Minerals Heats Up

Countries worldwide are increasingly focusing on stockpiling strategic commodities, with a significant emphasis on metals. This marks a structural shift in global commodity policy.

Australia announced plans in January for an $800 million strategic critical minerals reserve, prioritizing antimony, gallium, and rare earth elements. The European Union is also advancing plans for a joint reserve of critical raw materials, with Italy, France, and Germany expected to lead the initiative.

Further underscoring this trend, India and Brazil recently agreed to deepen cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths. This pact aims to diversify supply sources and reduce reliance on China, which dominates rare-earth processing and global refining capacity for industrial metals.

South Korea has also rolled out a comprehensive critical minerals strategy, backed by approximately $172 million in state support, with plans to expand stockpile volumes. Analysts note a rise in resource nationalism, as fragile metal supply chains and slow new supply make inventories crucial for national strategies.