QAZAQ GREEN.  IEA member countries met in Paris to advance coordinated action on securing rare earth supply chains, taking part in a Table-Top Exercise and Diversification Workshop held under the IEA Critical Minerals Security Programme, according to IEA.

Rare earth elements remain among the least geographically diversified of all critical minerals, despite their role in key technologies spanning clean energy, automotive production, AI data centres, semiconductors, aerospace and defence. New export controls introduced in April 2025 – along with additional measures announced in October and later suspended for a year – underscored the fragility of existing supply chains.

Building on last year’s exercise on graphite, the 2025 workshop focused on emergency response and long-term diversification. Participants examined immediate supply disruption risks, explored demand- and supply-side measures, and reviewed economic tools to support more resilient supply chains.

Using the IEA’s new Critical Minerals Information Dashboard, countries identified opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships, assessed policies to accelerate project development, and discussed approaches for innovation, recycling and development of broader mineral ecosystems.

The IEA plans to further expand its Critical Minerals Security Programme, drawing on historic lessons from the 1970s oil market shocks that led to the creation of the agency and to coordinated emergency stockpiles. With critical minerals now central to strategic industries and economic development, the programme is designed to support collective action to diversify supply chains and reduce structural vulnerabilities.