The Ministry of Defence is working to reduce reliance on concentrated sources of critical minerals used by the defence sector, including through alternative suppliers, allied investment and domestic production, Defence Minister Luke Pollard has said.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, Pollard set out work under way to improve the resilience of critical raw material supply chains and reduce exposure to individual suppliers and higher-risk sources.
Pollard said: “The Department is addressing dependencies on concentrated sources of Critical Minerals likely to be affecting the defence sector by improving visibility and enhancing collaboration with industry and like-minded Allies (including NATO and Australia).”
He added: “Efforts focus on developing alternative sources of supply, investing in allied capacity, ensuring security of supply and promoting recycling and substitution to reduce reliance on single suppliers and high-risk geographies.”
The work forms part of the Government’s wider Vision 2035: UK Critical Mineral Strategy, with the MOD involved in implementing measures intended to strengthen access to materials required by defence and advanced industries.
Australia is one of the countries involved in that work, of course. Pollard said: “MOD is also playing an active role in implementing Vision 2035: UK Critical Mineral Strategy through this work, and on 10 June, signed a new Joint Statement of Intent with Australia on collaboration to secure critical minerals supply chains for Defence.”
The Government is also backing efforts to restore a domestic source of tungsten through the Hemerdon mine in Devon. Pollard said: “Furthermore, the UK Government is investing £71 million through the National Wealth Fund to restart Tungsten West’s Hemerdon mine in Devon, securing the ability to negotiate over the next 6 months for a domestic supply of tungsten, a strategically important mineral used in defence and advanced industries.”
Tungsten is used across a range of industrial and defence applications where high density, strength and resistance to heat are required. The Government’s investment in Hemerdon is intended to give the UK an opportunity to negotiate access to domestic production rather than relying entirely on overseas sources.
The MOD’s work also covers recycling and material substitution, alongside efforts to identify alternative suppliers and increase production capacity among allied countries. The department is working with NATO and Australia as part of that effort, while also seeking better visibility of where defence-related supply chains remain exposed to concentrated sources.
Pollard said the work reflected the growing importance of these materials to both the economy and national security, with early discussions identifying areas where countries face common supply risks.
He stated: “This recognises that critical minerals are essential to our modern economy and increasingly our national security, with initial exchanges identifying opportunities for closer collaboration on shared critical mineral supply risks.”
Faced with an unusual level of pressure from Russia’s friends China and India to end his 3-day Ukraine “special military operation” – now in it’s fifth year – the war criminal Putin started making noises at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 3, stating uncertainly that, in his opinion, there is a chance that Russia and Ukraine can hold constructive peace talks.
We do not know exactly what was said during the recent, sudden, four-hour visit to Moscow by the director of the CIA, but Putin looked unusually uncomfortable
The foul-mouthed, obstreperous and refractory Russian “foreign minister” Sergei Lavrov also reiterated on September 3 Russian demands that equate to full Ukrainian capitulation, feigning willingness to negotiate by proposing the same maximalist demands that Ukraine could never agree to and has previously rejected
This is straight out of Putin’s workbook. First, under pressure he will feign interest in a peace deal. Then, he will set “conditions” which must be met before any negotiations can begin. Finally, in a few days time he will announce “red lines” which will prevent any meaningful discussions about peace; lastly he will blame Ukraine for the failure of the “peace talks”
Ukraine is, wisely, taking all this Russian bullshit with a generous pinch of salt. Unknown actors reportedly attempted to assassinate Commander of the Russian 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (Long Range Aviation, Russian Aerospace Forces) Major-General Nikolai Varpakhovich in Saratov Oblast on September 3. Russian law enforcement agencies told Russian business outlet Kommersant on September 3 that unknown actors shot an unspecified VKS officer in Engels, Saratov Oblast, on the morning of September 3 – while Putin was speaking.
Russian insider sources claim that Varpakhovich was the target, that he is currently in critical condition, and that authorities have not apprehended the assailant. The Saratov Oblast Investigative Committee have opened a criminal case for attempted murder. Ukraine’s Security Service charged Varpokhovich in absentia on August 31 for his involvement in the dreadful cruise missile strike against the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv City in July 2024.
This is notably the fourth assassination attempt on a Russian officer in rear areas since 1 August.
Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kupyansk, Novopavlivka, and Oleksandrivka directions. Source:- ISW
The Engineer, 16 Dec 2009, “Researchers from Leeds university faculty of engineering have discovered how to recover significant quantities of rare earth oxides that are present in titanium dioxide minerals.”
I doubt anyone in Whitehall has followed this up in the last 17 years. Even though it would reduce our dependence on China.
All I’m seeing on this site at the moment is somewhat “good” news stories, but they don’t seem to be reporting on the British Military apparently being told to cease training activities due to lack of money. Assuming that’s legit.