The International Energy Agency’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 report states that global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, while supply chains face growing risks from concentrated production, geopolitical tensions, and limited investment. The report highlights concerns over dependence on a small number of countries for mineral processing, particularly for materials essential to clean energy, artificial intelligence, defense, and advanced manufacturing.
The IEA notes that investment in critical minerals has weakened even as demand and price pressures on key resources such as lithium, cobalt, copper, and tungsten increase. The report calls for greater supply diversification, expanded refining capacity, strategic stockpiles, and stronger government policies to improve long-term mineral security and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.
