Critical Minerals Projects: Mines, Refineries, and Processing Plants

The pipeline of critical minerals projects is larger and more diverse than at any point in history. Driven by surging demand from the electric vehicle industry, renewable energy deployment, defense modernization, and semiconductor manufacturing, companies and governments are investing tens of billions of dollars to bring new supply online. The International Energy Agency has estimated that achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will require a four- to six-fold increase in critical mineral supply, an expansion that can only be achieved through aggressive project development across every stage of the value chain.

Yet bringing new critical mineral projects to production is exceptionally challenging. Mining projects typically require 10 to 15 years from initial discovery to first production, with permitting alone often consuming five to seven years in Western jurisdictions. Refining and processing facilities face their own permitting and community acceptance hurdles, compounded by the technical complexity of building operations that can produce materials meeting exacting battery-grade or semiconductor-grade specifications. Recycling plants must scale novel technologies while competing with primary producers that benefit from established supply chains and economies of scale.

This section provides a comprehensive overview of the major categories of critical minerals projects under development globally. From mining projects advancing through feasibility and construction to refinery projects and separation plants that will transform how raw materials are processed, from recycling facilities building circular supply chains to government-backed strategic initiatives reshaping the investment landscape, these resources offer the context needed to assess the future of critical mineral supply.