The UK and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Securing the Supply of Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements. The document was signed on February 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C., during a major international summit on critical minerals organized by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
The agreement was signed by Foreign Secretary Seema Malhotra on the British side, and by US Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg on the American side. This was announced by the UK Department for Business and Trade and the US State Department.
According to the document, the UK and the US agreed to:
jointly accelerate the secure supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements;
attract public and private investment in mining and processing;
reduce timelines and simplify permitting procedures for mining and processing projects;
protect industries from unfair trade practices and non-market policies;
coordinate efforts with other international partners to strengthen global supply chains.
During the same summit, the US signed similar memoranda with 10 other countries, including Argentina, the UAE, Peru, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and others. Simultaneously, US Vice President J.D. Vance proposed the creation of an international trade bloc on critical minerals.
For the UK, the agreement strengthens the Critical Minerals Strategy and the Modern Industrial Strategy, and opens up opportunities for attracting US investment in mining and processing projects in the UK and friendly countries.
The UK Department for Business and Trade stated that the partnership “will help British businesses access a stable supply of minerals essential for the green and technological transformation of the economy.”
The US side emphasized that the agreement is an important step in creating “resilient and friendly” supply chains for advanced technologies and national security.
The agreement takes effect immediately and is a framework agreement, but it paves the way for deeper industrial and investment cooperation between the two countries in this strategically important area. The first specific joint projects and funding amounts are expected to be announced in the coming months.