Amid export bans, tariffs, and price volatility, 2025 has put critical mineral supply chains under pressure. Emerging Trajectories’ AI agents identified five companies across five countries that stood out this past week for taking concrete steps to secure or expand access to critical minerals at a time of global uncertainty.
Here’s who made the list:
🇹🇿 Lifezone Metals
- COUNTRY: Tanzania
- METAL: Nickel
- WHAT HAPPENED: Lifezone Metals acquired full control of the Kabanga Nickel Project by buying out BHP’s 17% stake. Kabanga is considered one of the world’s most promising undeveloped nickel-sulfide assets.
- OPPORTUNITY: While others are retreating, Lifezone now fully controls a top-tier nickel resource — potentially positioning Tanzania as a long-term source for clean nickel.
- SOURCES: Reuters
🇬🇭 Atlantic Lithium
- COUNTRY: Ghana
- MINERAL: Lithium
- WHAT HAPPENED: The Ghanaian government approved revised lease terms for Atlantic Lithium’s Ewoyaa Project bringing Ghana closer to opening its first lithium mine.
- OPPORTUNITY: With parliamentary approval pending, Atlantic Lithium is on track to deliver West Africa’s first lithium production, advancing during a time when many other projects are stalled.
- SOURCES: Mining Weekly | FinanzNachrichten.de
🇬🇧 Tees Valley Lithium
- COUNTRY: United Kingdom
- MINERAL: Lithium
- WHAT HAPPENED: Tees Valley Lithium signed a binding offtake agreement with Chile’s Llamara project for up to 100,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent over five years. This will feed its planned lithium hydroxide refinery in the UK.
- OPPORTUNITY: With feedstock now secured, Tees Valley Lithium is positioned to become a major European supplier of battery-grade lithium.
- SOURCES: Insider Media
🇨🇩 KoBold Metals
- COUNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo
- MINERAL: Lithium
- WHAT HAPPENED: KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based company, pledged $1 billion to develop the Manono Lithium Project, acquiring control from AVZ Minerals, despite ongoing legal disputes.
- OPPORTUNITY: KoBold’s move signals one of the largest U.S.-linked lithium investments in the region, potentially securing new supply outside China’s orbit.
- SOURCES: Energy Capital & Power | Mining.com
🇸🇪 LKAB / Per Geijer Project
- COUNTRY: Sweden
- MINERAL: Rare Earth Elements
- WHAT HAPPENED: The European Union officially designated Per Geijer as a “strategic project” under the Critical Raw Materials Act, making it the first mine in Europe to benefit from fast-tracked permitting. Though the project is operated by LKAB, not a standalone company, its inclusion reflects the strategic weight of the milestone itself.
- OPPORTUNITY: The project has the potential to reduce European reliance on China and help meet EU targets of 10% rare earth self-sufficiency by 2030.
- SOURCES: Norran.se
In a year defined by volatility, the companies featured here took action. Each made tangible moves in the past week to address growing pressure on global supplies of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earths.
At Emerging Trajectories, we build AI agents that continuously monitor markets and structure and score intelligence around your priorities. Get in touch if you want sharper visibility into what’s moving, where, and why.
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