Uzbekistan's President Mirziyoyev directed officials to expand production to 16 metals, targeting output value exceeding $2.7 billion by 2030, with an additional 11 minerals — including nickel, cobalt, graphite, antimony, and vanadium — to be developed alongside five already in progress; uranium production at Navoiyuran is separately targeted to double from 7,500 tons to 15,000 tons by 2030, with explored reserves reaching 200,000 tons, and tungsten deep-processing projects expected to attract $1.1 billion investment.

India's Union Cabinet approved a ₹2,814 crore scheme to fund domestic mineral processing, providing a 30% capital subsidy for four processing plants — two lithium and two nickel — to be commissioned within five years, with support capped at ₹500 crore per lithium and ₹900 crore per nickel beneficiary, addressing the country's heavy import reliance for refined intermediates. The US Defense Logistics Agency separately committed $2 billion stockpile acquisitions for rare earths, tungsten, titanium, antimony, and other strategic materials through its National Defense Stockpile, with contracts specifically targeted to stimulate domestic production and reduce dependence on geographically concentrated foreign supply chains.

A UK parliamentary committee warned that the country cannot meet net-zero goals while remaining dependent on China, which refines 19 of 20 strategic minerals at an average market share of approximately 70%; the committee found the government had met none of 10 readiness tests and proposed a Critical Minerals Finance Facility, a 60-day defense stockpile requirement, expanded domestic mining and recycling, and broader mandates for British International Investment and UK Export Finance. The Democratic Republic of Congo called on the United States to deliver concrete mineral investments under their strategic partnership rather than relying on diplomatic agreements alone, a concern echoed by an analysis noting that 68% of 139 tracked agreements globally are nonbinding. The UN is separately advancing tax reforms for developing nations to capture greater mineral revenue, though analysts caution that poorly designed policies risk reinforcing China's dominance in rare earth processing.

Canada's federal budget extended the 15% Mineral Exploration Tax Credit and 30% Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit through March 31, 2032, providing an estimated C$956 million in support and adding antimony to the higher-rate credit, alongside C$424.4 million to renew the Critical Minerals Strategy; however, the Association for Mineral Exploration expressed disappointment that the budget failed to expand Canadian Exploration Expense eligibility to cover feasibility studies, leaving a financing gap at discovery stage unaddressed. SAGA Metals Corp. announced it joined the Critical Minerals Council of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to gain direct access to federal policy discussions relevant to its titanium, vanadium, rare earth, lithium, and uranium assets in Labrador.

Fox Tungsten launched a Preliminary Economic Assessment for its Cariboo region project in British Columbia, with Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC as lead consultant and results targeted for Q2 2027; an updated Mineral Resource Estimate drawing on a nearly complete 20,000-metre drilling program is expected in Q1 2027. Allied Critical Metals shares fell 8.41% on tungsten development timeline and funding concerns. Bunker Hill Mining and Silver47 Exploration completed their merger to form a U.S. silver producer, combining an operating Idaho mine with development projects in Alaska, Nevada, and New Mexico under the intended name Bunker Hill Silver Corp.

On the diplomatic and institutional front, a US Consulate delegation held discussions with India's Singareni Collieries Company to explore critical minerals joint ventures, including potential collaboration around rare earth element extraction from open-cast mine overburden and an invitation for SCCL to attend a US-hosted Critical Minerals Conference in April. Sudburian mining executive Douglas Morrison joined the board of the Critical Minerals Institute, a global think tank, bringing expertise in underground mining and technology commercialization to advance the organization's work on secure supply chain innovation.

Three-month copper futures on the London Metal Exchange fell to roughly $13,779 per tonne on Friday, their lowest level since July, as Democratic gains in the U.S. midterm elections reduced market expectations for aggressive import tariffs and cast doubt on AI data-centre demand projections. TD Securities warns that a further $500 per tonne decline would not be surprising, given that the political shift could dampen both tariff-driven stockpiling incentives and appetite for new data-centre construction in states that turned Democratic. U.S. copper inventories stand at an estimated 1.6 million tonnes, and reduced stockpiling inflow is expected to halt additional imports for a significant period as the profitable Comex-to-London price differential narrows. Washington's July 2025 proclamation had outlined possible refined copper duties of 15% from January 2027 rising to 30% in 2028, though those levies remain unenacted and subject to a presidential determination; separate 50% duties on semi-finished copper products and copper-intensive derivatives took effect in August 2025. Anticipation of tariffs had already redirected global trade flows, with Comex inventories rising 62% from January through late October, leaving U.S. warehouses holding approximately 70% of global exchange copper stocks as of October 30. On the demand side, Chinese buyers are paying a premium to secure spot metal, with the Yangshan import premium exceeding $200 per tonne — its highest level since records began in 2017 — though even that scramble has proved insufficient to keep prices above $14,000. On the supply side, BMI revised its 2026 mine production growth forecast down to 1.1% from 2.4%, citing Chilean weakness and operational constraints at Freeport-McMoRan's Grasberg complex in Indonesia and Ivanhoe Mines' Kamoa-Kakula operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; BMI projects copper to average $13,500 per tonne this year and $12,900 in 2027, with mine constraints and electrification demand providing a partial floor against further correction.

At the second meeting of the US-Congo minerals partnership joint steering committee, held in Paris, Congolese Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba called on Washington to deliver concrete investment outcomes rather than additional signed agreements, stating that the partnership's success must be measured by completed projects on the ground. The December 2025 strategic agreement grants US companies preferential right-of-first-offer access to assets in Congo's Strategic Asset Reserve, with a negotiation window of up to nine months before other aligned investors may bid, and gives American buyers the first opportunity to negotiate for certain minerals marketed for export. No new US investment figure was announced following the Paris meeting.

The Lobito Corridor railway featured prominently in the committee's review. Congo previously awarded Mota-Engil Africa a 30-year Dilolo–Sakania concession covering 1,004 kilometres linking the copper-producing centres of Kolwezi, Tenke, and Lubumbashi to Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito, at an estimated cost of $1.258 billion, with Congo retaining at least a 10% stake and a 7.5% gross-revenue royalty. Separately, the US International Development Finance Corporation has committed a $553 million Lobito Atlantic loan supporting the Angolan segment of the broader corridor.

Beyond infrastructure, committee discussions covered the Grand Inga hydropower complex, efforts to channel more Congolese copper and cobalt directly to US markets, and reforms to Congo's fiscal framework. Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba emphasised job creation, skills transfer, and compliance with Congolese mining law, while Mukoko Samba stressed that the partnership must also support local mineral processing and electricity access for households and businesses. Congo, as the world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, remains central to Washington's strategy of reducing Chinese supply-chain dependence across electric vehicles, power networks, and advanced electronics.

Lithium-ion battery safety dominated public-safety headlines this week. The New York City Council announced an emergency oversight hearing scheduled for November 20 to examine fire-safety laws, enforcement practices, and public education after lithium-ion battery fires claimed ten lives across Brooklyn and the Bronx in quick succession; the Brooklyn blaze alone killed six in Sunset Park, where investigators found two lithium-ion batteries and a charred e-bike at the scene, though causation remains unestablished, and complaints of illegal apartment conversions at the property had gone unanswered across four inspection attempts. New York City has recorded 406 e-battery fires and 86 total fire deaths so far this year, roughly double the figures for the same period in 2025. Separately, a lithium battery warehouse blaze in Franklin Township, New Jersey injured two firefighters at a recycling center for batteries and electronics, with crews allowing the cells to burn out due to their self-sustaining combustion. Researchers and fire officials have also noted that battery fires release toxic gases and heavy metals, leaving lasting contamination after visible flames are extinguished. In Ontario, the Ford government is changing two lithium-ion battery laws to prohibit battery modification and ban e-bike charging and storage in apartment hallways, a move welcomed by local fire chiefs. On the consumer recall front, Bose recalled over 670,000 battery packs for its S1 Pro speaker systems sold from December 2017 through July 2026, citing seven reports of melting, smoking, or ignition and offering free replacements through registration with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

On the advanced-materials research front, several laboratory results advanced the case for next-generation lithium cell architectures. Researchers at Xidian University developed a 12-micrometer liquid-applied coating combining a silicon-based polymer with indium chloride that forms lithium fluoride and lithium-indium alloy nanoparticles on lithium metal anodes; in sulfide solid-state cells, coated anodes retained 82.3% capacity after 300 cycles at 0.5C versus 43.0% for untreated lithium, with the finding published in Science China Chemistry and further detailed in independent technical analysis. At Nankai University and the Haihe Laboratory, a room-temperature free-radical polymerization route for quasi-solid-state gel electrolytes using high-ESPmax activators enabled a Li-LRMO pouch cell to deliver 656.6 Wh kg⁻¹ cell-level energy, with a 9.53 Ah cell retaining 94.4% initial Coulombic efficiency after 100 cycles, published in eScience. At Hanbat National University in South Korea, Professor Kyojin Ku's team demonstrated that intentional cation disorder in cathodes using mechanochemical ball milling of Li₁.₂Ni₀.₄Mn₀.₄O₂ improved lithium transport, raised capacity, and retained approximately 90% capacity after 50 cycles without voltage fade, published in Energy Storage Materials. Politecnico di Milano researchers reported a lithium-free fluoride-ion membrane, a non-flammable quasi-solid gel electrolyte enabling fluoride-ion transport at room temperature that the team describes as doubling battery longevity. CATL Chief Scientist Wu Kai identified lithium-air as a long-term research direction at the 2026 Equipment Powerhouse Forum, citing a theoretical specific energy of approximately 3,505 Wh/kg, though the company has set no commercial launch schedule and substantial engineering obstacles around oxygen management, chemical stability, and rechargeability remain unresolved.

In supply-chain and corporate developments, OTC-listed Elektros Inc. (ELEK) disclosed it is conducting a preliminary hard-rock lithium review of a property in northern New York near the Canadian border, with no acquisition completed, no independently verified mineral resource established, and no economic development case confirmed, as separately noted in additional company disclosures and further releases covering the early-stage property assessment; the company also holds a multi-port EV charging patent it is pursuing separately. A market overview highlighted Altius Minerals and Lithium Americas as Canadian-market lithium stocks drawing investor attention amid supply-security concerns, with Altius valued at approximately CA$3.0 billion through royalties tied to the James Bay and Whabouchi region, and Lithium Americas anchored to its pre-revenue Thacker Pass clay project in Nevada. Century Lithium clarified that its November 25 annual general meeting begins at 10 a.m. Pacific, with proxy materials unchanged from October 26 and already-voted shareholders requiring no further action. Dragonfly Energy will lead a lithium session at the 2026 RV Dealers Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, presenting insights on lithium battery technology for the RV market. LiTime is running a Black Friday promotional event on LiFePO₄ batteries for RV, marine, golf cart, and off-grid applications from November 5 through December 7, 2026, with discounts of up to 60%.

Malacañang indicated this week that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could sign the Pax Silica framework during the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, contingent on Washington's response to a draft agreement submitted jointly by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that guidance had been issued to the BCDA for negotiations and that the Philippine government was awaiting Washington's response to the draft. US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the summit, scheduled from November 15 to 18 in Pasay City.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton moved swiftly to correct expectations, stating that no announcement was ever planned on the Pax Silica Economic Security Zone during or after the summit. Lipton emphasized that decisions would be made in full consultation with the Philippine government and that rigorous stakeholder impact discussions remained a prerequisite, while reaffirming Washington's intent to advance the initiative's goals of supply chain security, quality investment, and employment generation for Filipinos.

On the domestic front, the proposed project — centered on a 4,000-acre manufacturing zone in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac — continues to generate significant controversy. The BCDA has held consultations regarding the possible displacement of Aeta communities, with Castro assuring that financial assistance would be provided to any residents relocated from the buildable zone, while land outside that zone would be reserved for Indigenous peoples. Separately, youth organizations under the Youth Against Pax Silica alliance declared a National Day of Action on November 13 ahead of the summit. High-profile figures have also entered the debate, with performing artist Lea Salonga amplifying concerns over the project in advance of Trump's Philippine visit.

The most immediate diplomatic development centres on US pressure over Chinese rare earth deliveries: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged China to honour Busan commitments on rare earths, critical minerals, and agricultural purchases during a videoconference with Vice-Premier He Lifeng, with Greer noting that China has been delivering rare earths at volumes below agreed levels and that parts of the Chinese government have been "quite bureaucratic" in fulfilling those obligations; China in turn expressed serious concern over recent US trade restrictions. The Busan accord, which caps US tariffs at roughly 20% and commits Beijing to suspending new rare earth export curbs, expires on 10 January, and both Trump and Xi are expected to meet at the APEC forum in Shenzhen on 18–19 November and at the G-20 in Miami on 14–15 December to address its extension.

The structural risk underlying those diplomatic tensions is examined in detail by analysts who argue that China's integrated production system makes export availability inherently uncertain: the IEA estimates China accounted for approximately 91% of refined rare earth production and 94% of sintered permanent magnet output in 2024, and that worldwide demand for the four principal magnet rare earths will increase by roughly one-third between 2024 and 2030, with demand outside China projected to grow by 50% by 2035. South Korea-focused analysis similarly warns that China controls more than 85% of global solar supply chain capacity and about 60% of electrolyzer capacity, with rare earths linked to EVs, robotics and defence now representing a re

On the US government response, the Defense Logistics Agency has committed $2 billion for stockpile acquisitions of rare earths, tungsten, titanium, and antimony over the fiscal year, with DLA Strategic Materials Director Eric Mata describing each contract as a targeted demand signal intended to incentivise domestic production and reduce single-point-of-failure risk in defence supply chains. Separately, USA Rare Earth faces congressional scrutiny over a $1.58 billion federal deal, even as bipartisan rare earth legislation advances as part of America's broader critical minerals strategy.

At the company level, MP Materials reported a surprise adjusted quarterly profit of $8.8 million, or 4¢ per share, for the three months to 30 September, reversing a 10¢ loss a year earlier as revenue nearly tripled to $147.7 million; the result included a one-time $31.6 million sale of mixed rare earth material to a US aerospace and defence customer. Neodymium-praseodymium sales rose 94% to 1,020 tonnes, production reached a quarterly record of 1,018 tonnes, and the company recognised $8.1 million under its Pentagon price-protection agreement, which establishes a 10-year floor of $110 per kilogram for NdPr. MP also completed magnet qualification with GM, clearing the path for initial commercial deliveries from its Fort Worth Independence plant, with its larger 10X facility in Northlake, Texas scheduled to begin commissioning in late 2028.

Three non-Chinese companies are identified as positively exposed to supply-chain diversification: Japan's Shin-Etsu Chemical, with roughly ¥9.6 trillion in market capitalisation and rare earth magnet products spanning semiconductor and industrial supply chains; North American pure-play producer REalloys, which supplies neodymium, dysprosium, terbium, samarium and other elements for defence and EV applications with approximately $2 million in revenue and a market value near $404 million; and Japan's JX Advanced Metals, with a market cap of approximately ¥2.3 trillion and copper and rare metal processing ambitions serving semiconductor and advanced manufacturing supply chains.

On the partnership front, India's state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited held discussions with a US Consulate delegation in Hyderabad, with the US side expressing interest in SCCL's newly established Geo-Science Laboratory and the potential to extract REEs from overburden at open-cast mines, while SCCL's CMD confirmed the company is actively seeking foreign investment and technology partnerships to expand its critical minerals presence.