EU critical minerals exploration is underfunded at the stage where future mining projects are created, putting the bloc’s 2030 raw material targets at risk. Euromines argues that stronger public-private investment, faster permitting and aligned fiscal treatment are needed to rebuild the project pipeline and improve long-term supply security.
Why we chose this report:
The paper highlights how little exploration capital currently reaches Europe. It cites data showing that only 3% of global mineral exploration expenditure is spent in the EU, despite Europe accounting for around 6% of global land area, and notes that junior exploration companies made 63% of mineral discoveries worldwide over the past decade.
To address the gap, Euromines proposes an EU Exploration Acceleration Facility in which public funding would contribute €1 for every €4 of private investment in qualifying exploration. It also calls for the Critical Raw Materials Act to cover short-cycle exploration and early-stage discovery, alongside simplified permitting and more consistent fiscal treatment. These proposals make EU critical minerals exploration directly relevant to Europe’s ability to develop a stronger future mining pipeline.
Source: Euromines
