en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK's Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC) stated in a latest analysis report released on June 18, 2026, that the UK is "unlikely" to meet its 2035 critical minerals recycling target—meeting 20% of the country's annual critical mineral demand through recycling and secondary sources. The report suggests that the growth rate of clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and batteries outpaces the availability of secondary materials, with primary mineral supply remaining the main source until 2050.
The Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre is a specialized research institution under the British Geological Survey (BGS), responsible for providing the UK government with independent analysis and data support on critical mineral supply chains. In November 2025, the UK government released "Vision 2035: The UK Critical Minerals Strategy," setting ambitious targets: by 2035, at least 10% of annual critical mineral demand to be met through domestic production, 20% through recycling, and reliance on any single country for critical minerals not to exceed 60%. The strategy received new funding of up to £50 million.
The report indicates that by 2035, the UK's demand for copper is expected to nearly double, while demand for lithium will increase by 1,100%. However, due to the limited quantity of end-of-life products, recycling volumes for most critical minerals will struggle to reach target levels. Research shows that by 2050, recycling has the potential to meet most of the UK's critical mineral demand, but the 2035 timeline is too tight for most materials. While the UK currently has some capacity for recycling platinum group metals and early rare earth magnets, the existing project pipeline is insufficient to support the 20% recycling target.
The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) commented on the strategy, noting that achieving recycling targets faces practical constraints such as insufficient supply of end-of-life materials. However, some analyses suggest that by 2035, certain materials used in photovoltaic technology could theoretically meet or exceed this target; according to Benchmark Recycling Service's analysis, the scrap pool for nickel, cobalt, and manganese in 2035 will be sufficient to meet recycling targets.
This report is one of the core research findings released by the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre at its annual showcase held in March 2026. The report's conclusions pose practical challenges to the implementation path of the UK government's "Vision 2035" strategy, also indicating that the UK still needs to increase investment in critical mineral recycling infrastructure and end-of-life product recycling systems.
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