macroeconomic modelling, or strategic environmental assessment, can strengthen decision-support capacity. However, the framework is not intended to replace these tools. Its contribution lies in providing a structured bridge between project-level information and system-level governance within a manageable, operational scope. 9. ADVANCING INTEGRATED CRITICAL MINERAL GOVERNANCE THROUGH OPERATIONAL TOOLS Critical mineral governance requires coherence across project maturity, industrial capability, sustainability objectives, and system resilience. Fragmented approaches, such as separating geological assessment, industrial planning, and nexus policy, generate misaligned incentives and increase vulnerability across supply chains. An integrated governance architecture is therefore necessary to align resource development with long-term public value. This paper presents an operational approach that combines UNFC and UNRMS within a structured, sequential workflow. UNFC provides standardized project-level information on viability, feasibility, and confidence, reducing ambiguity around supply maturity and time-to-market. UNRMS frames how that information should be interpreted within broader sustainability, circularity, resilience, and equity objectives. Together, they translate technical resource data into policy-relevant insight. The two-tool methodology operationalizes this integration. The FWE Nexus–oriented criticality assessment identifies minerals of systemic concern, linking supply disruption risks to food, water, and energy systems. The Midstream Readiness and Value Addition Assessment then evaluates whether credible pathways exist to develop processing capacity consistent with national conditions and sustainability priorities. Applied sequentially, the workflow connects exposure analysis with actionable planning. The contribution is methodological rather than prescriptive. By structuring evidence and clarifying interdependencies, the framework supports informed policy dialogue, disciplined sequencing of interventions, and improved alignment between mineral strategies, industrial development, and energy transition planning. 67
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