Rare Earth Exploration, Extraction, Beneficiation and Concentration: Innovation landscape report
This report explores UK innovations, challenges and opportunities in the upstream segment of the rare earth supply chain.
Produced by: British Geological Survey and University of Exeter for Innovate UK
Overview
The Circular Critical Materials Supply Chain (CLIMATES) programme worked on a series of groundbreaking innovation landscape reports, aimed at securing and innovating across the rare earth elements (REEs) value chain.
This report evaluates the UK’s innovation landscape in the upstream segment of the rare earth elements supply chain, highlighting technological advances, challenges, and recommendations to enhance domestic capabilities and diversify supply.
Key findings
This report explores the following key innovation needs and opportunities in the upstream segment of the rare earth supply chain:
- Enhancing awareness of UK capability and expertise
- Facilitation of stakeholder connections and funding TRL progression
- Promotion of full value mining and reporting standards
More details about this publication
Context
This Innovation Landscape Report on Rare Earth Exploration, Extraction, Beneficiation and Concentration forms part of a series of reports into the UK Rare Earth Elements (REEs) Value Chain, commissioned by Innovate UK as part of the Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains (CLIMATES) Programme which was established to develop and support critical materials supply chains within the UK, beginning with REEs.
There are six publications in this series – an executive summary and five innovation landscape reports. Each report identifies UK capabilities, global comparisons, and innovation opportunities.
Purpose
The reports highlight the strategic importance of REEs to the UK economy, emphasising their role in clean energy and digital technologies. Innovation is seen as key factor in the UK to building resilience and reducing dependency on monopolised global sources.
This report assesses technological advances and UK capabilities across rare earth exploration, extraction, beneficiation and concentration. It identifies barriers to innovation and investment, highlights opportunities for the UK to provide expertise and develop more sustainable processing methods and recommends actions to support the UK Critical Minerals Strategy and strengthen the resilience and diversity of global rare earth supply chains.
What’s included
- Executive summary
- Background context
- Technology overviews of REE exploration, extraction and beneficiation
- UK capability and stakeholder mapping
- Challenges to the UK REE supply chain
- Opportunities and recommendations
Related reports in this series
Related programmes
Critical Materials Supply Chain Innovation Network
Connect with partners and access funding, collaboration and commercial opportunities that strengthen the UK’s critical materials supply chains.
Circular Critical Materials Supply Chains
The CLIMATES programme supports the development of resilient, UK-based supply chains for rare earth elements. It aims to strengthen collaboration across sectors and build robust, circular supply chains ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical materials.