IEA Warns of Supply Risks in Critical Minerals Sector Affecting France's Industrial Transition
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a warning regarding the risks associated with the supply of critical minerals, which are essential for industrial and energy transitions. The IEA's 2026 Global Critical Minerals Outlook highlights that declining investments and increasingly concentrated supply chains could jeopardize efforts by countries like France to secure these vital materials. The report notes that prices for minerals such as cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements have rebounded in 2025 and early 2026 due to tightening supply conditions. Export restrictions from major suppliers have contributed to price volatility, and investment in the sector fell by 9% in 2025. The report also mentions that Indonesia and China have dominated growth in refined mineral supply, further concentrating the market. In response, France has launched a €500 million critical minerals strategy as part of its France 2030 investment plan to reduce dependence on external sources for 26 ke... 
