The European Commission has announced its first list of 47 Strategic Projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), granting priority status to initiatives aimed at securing the EU’s supply of key battery and industrial minerals. Several Australian-linked projects, including those operated by Vulcan Energy, Talga Group, European Metals, and Euro Manganese, were among those selected.
The CRMA, which came into force in May 2024, sets 2030 targets for Europe to domestically extract at least 10%, process 40%, and recycle 25% of its annual demand for strategic raw materials. The Strategic Project status provides selected initiatives with streamlined permitting, access to EU and national funding, and preferential support from financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank.
Of the 47 projects selected, 22 involve lithium, 12 nickel, 11 graphite, 10 cobalt, and 7 manganese—underscoring the focus on battery-related minerals. The projects span 13 EU member states, with many covering more than one segment of the supply chain—extraction, processing, recycling, or substitution.
Australian-linked successes included:
- Vulcan Energy’s Lionheart Project (Germany): A geothermal lithium project combining extraction and conversion with net-zero emissions.
- Talga Group’s graphite mine (Sweden): A natural graphite operation supplying anode material to European battery makers.
- European Metals’ Cinovec lithium project (Czech Republic): Europe’s largest hard rock lithium resource.
- Euro Manganese’s Chvaletice project (Czech Republic): A waste-to-value project to reprocess tailings and produce high-purity manganese.
Together, the 47 projects are expected to require €22.5 billion in capital investment. They will benefit from accelerated permitting timelines—limited to 27 months for extraction and 15 months for processing or recycling—and coordinated financing pathways from both public and private sources.
European Commission Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné described the move as a “landmark moment for European sovereignty as an industrial powerhouse,” stating, “We must increase our own production, diversify our external supply, and make stockpiles.”
The Commission also confirmed that additional project rounds will follow, including consideration of applications from third countries. A new call for applications is expected by late summer.
