Advancing solutions for critical mineral production and recycling

Advancing solutions for critical mineral production and recycling is a UKRI funding opportunity providing pump-priming grants to explore, test and validate disruptive solutions for extraction, processing, recovery, reprocessing, recycling or re-mining of critical and growth minerals. Projects should accelerate development and validation of transformative technologies, processes and methodologies with relevance to UK advanced manufacturing. Funded projects are expected to be up to 12 months in phase one, with successful projects eligible to apply for further funding for up to two additional years.

Pump-priming research funding (up to £305,000 FEC, 80% funded by UKRI), support to develop proof-of-concept and evidence for commercial/regulatory viability, and eligibility to apply for further funding for up to two additional years.

Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UKRI funding. A project co-lead may be based at a Norwegian institution under the UKRI–Research Council of Norway agreement. other international collaborators may participate as project partners who must fund their own involvement.

Apply through the UKRI funding service application portal and follow UKRI application guidance and eligibility requirements; submit at most two applications per applicant (one as lead).