2628 FROM EXTRACTION TO ACTION: EUROPE’S GLOBAL PLAYBOOK FOR CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Roman Stiftner Director General of EUMICON, Brussels, Belgium Director General of the Austrian Mining, Steel and Non-Ferrous Metals Associations ABSTRACT Global demand for critical raw materials (CRMs) is accelerating as economies advance toward electrification, digitalisation, and low-carbon technologies. Supply chains for many minerals remain highly concentrated, project development timelines are long, and expectations for environmental and social performance are rising. Europe’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) represents a strategic response to these pressures—an attempt to build supply resilience by 2030 through stronger domestic extraction, expanded processing and recycling, and more equitable international partnerships (BMF, 2024). This paper examines the structural challenges behind CRM scarcity and assesses how the CRMA addresses them. It argues that resilience will depend not only on new projects but also on unlocking greater value from existing resources, improving system-level performance, and accelerating permitting without undermining environmental integrity. The analysis highlights practical pathways to bridge the gap between current and future production needs: advanced geological modelling, deep-mining technologies, integrated mine-to-mill optimisation, midstream processing expansion, and greater circularity through recycling and tailings reprocessing. It also evaluates Europe’s emerging partnership model with resource-rich countries— illustrated through collaboration with Peru—and identifies opportunities in technology transfer, skills development, and sustainable value-chain integration. Ultimately, achieving a secure and responsible CRM supply will require coordinated action from governments, industry, and communities, combining innovation with governance reform to build mining systems that are both efficient and environmentally resilient (UNECE, 2024). 1.INTRODUCTION The global race for critical raw materials has evolved from a technical supply chain issue into a defining contest for industrial policy, energy security, and strategic autonomy. Technologies spanning electric mobility, renewable power generation, defence systems, and digital infrastructure all depend on a diverse portfolio of CRMs that form the literal foundation of modern industrial capabilities. Yet the accelerating pace of this technological transformation significantly outstrips the development of corresponding supply sources, creating acute vulnerabilities (IEA, 2025). Copper provides electrical conductivity essential for power networks, electric motors, and charging infrastructure. Nickel and graphite constitute core components of high-density lithium-ion battery chemistries. Titanium, tungsten, and rare earth elements prove indispensable for advanced aerospace components, high-performance alloys, and permanent magnet technologies critical to wind turbines and electric drivetrains. Europe’s heavy reliance on external sources for these materials exposes systemic vulnerabilities that extend beyond economics into the realm of geopolitics, particularly as major producers leverage their positions amid rising geo-economic tensions (IEA, 2025). The Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) enters this complex landscape as the EU’s comprehensive legislative framework to strengthen supply security while maintaining rigorous environmental and social standards. Enacted in May 2024, the CRMA establishes concrete 2030 benchmarks—10% domestic extraction, 40% processing capacity, 25% recycling—and caps dependency on any single external supplier at 65%. Beyond these regulatory targets, however, the Act embodies a broader strategic vision that integrates
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