Facilitated by the CBI Minerals Group and the Mineral Products Association, the UK mineral extraction industry have launched a consultation which seeks stakeholder views on a proposed UK Minerals Strategy.

Minerals are essential to the economy and our way of life and represent the largest flow of materials in the UK. Minerals and mineral products underpin many sectors of the UK economy and are vital for many particularly construction and manufacturing. A strategy for minerals is important to meet the objectives of the Government’s emerging UK Industrial Strategy and the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan. With over 5 billion tonnes being required over the next 25 years for the next generation, ensuring demand of this scale is supplied needs careful planning and management. To this end, it is important not just for the industrial sectors directly involved but for key stakeholders in planning authorities, regulatory and environmental organisations and others with an interest in mineral extraction throughout the UK.

The key priorities identified in the proposed strategy are:

• Ensuring an adequate and steady supply of UK minerals to meet demand
• Encouraging trade and export of UK minerals and reduce risks from international insecurity of supply
• Safeguarding both mineral resources and crucial transport infrastructure
• Mitigating impacts of extraction, processing and transportation
• Providing better information to support policy development
• Maintaining an up-to-date plan-led system
• Ensuring that health & safety remains a top priority
• Providing good quality career opportunities and meeting skills needs
• Improving public understanding of the need for minerals
• Encouraging innovation, research and development in the minerals sector
• Cutting and improving ‘red tape’ particularly in relation to planning and permitting

Commenting, Nigel Jackson, Chief Executive of the Mineral Products Association, said:

“The UK mineral extraction industry has been developing proposals for a UK Minerals Strategy over recent years. Thinking has evolved as a result of a series of industry led ‘Living with Minerals’ conferences over many years, organised by the CBI Minerals Group. This has been supplemented by views that have come forward from more recent discussion with the UK Minerals Forum and dialogue at other industry events such as the MPA/RTPI conference in 2016. The primary focus of this work has been on ensuring that expected UK demand for minerals is met for the next generation. We are well aware that this is an ambitious task and the industry cannot ensure that objectives are achieved without engagement and understanding from all stakeholders. The industry is seeking feedback and responses to ensure that the future UK Minerals Strategy considers all relevant issues to make it credible and effective.”

The UK Minerals Strategy also takes account of two previous documents ‘The Future of our Minerals’, published by the UK Minerals Forum (November 2014) and ‘The UK Mineral Extraction Industry’ published by the CBI Minerals Group (February 2016).

The UK Minerals Strategy consultation is open until 1st April. Please respond to Nigel Jackson at and Ken Hobden. You can join the conversation via #UKMineralsStrategy

Ends.

Download the report here.