Critical minerals for clean energy ‘concentrated in fewer countries’ – report

Market share for metals such as copper has risen among the top three producers (AP)

The world’s sources of critical minerals are increasingly concentrated in just a few countries, most notably China, leaving the global economy vulnerable to supply cut-offs that could disrupt economies and hit consumers with higher prices, a report has said.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) report looked at the availability of minerals and metals that may be small in quantity – but large in impact when it comes to shifting the economy away from fossil fuels toward electricity and renewable energy.