Wood Mackenzie at FT Mining 2025

As the energy transition accelerates, and demand for rare and critical minerals intensifies, the world’s expectations of the mining industry have never been greater. Policymakers, manufacturers, and investors are pushing for greater supply at the same time as increased sustainability and transparency — all while geopolitical realignment and a US-led trade war ramp up uncertainty and risk.

Mining groups and companies in the value chain must also grapple with fundamental constraints within the sector. Investment is uneven. Smelting and refining operations are facing competition from facilities in China and more difficult market conditions. Even as governments roll out critical minerals strategies, progress on the ground can be slowed by regulatory bottlenecks, weak community engagement, and fragmented value chains.

Against this backdrop, the 6th edition of the FT Mining and Metals Summit will gather company leaders, financiers and policymakers to tackle these challenges head on — through thought-provoking keynote interviews and lively debates, setting the agenda for LME Week and the next 12 months.

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Date: Thursday 9th Oct, 12.00pm - 12.40pm

Panel: Processing and smelting - Can the industry survive outside of China?

China controls most of the world's refining capacity for key metals such as copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths, making the supply chain vulnerable to trade tensions and export restrictions. Without urgent investment, Europe and North America risk losing their remaining smelting and refining capacity, leaving them increasingly dependent on Chinese-dominated markets. All the while, rising energy costs, tightening emissions regulations, and a lack of financing for new processing infrastructure threaten to push the West further out of the global refining industry.

• Can Europe and North America realistically challenge China's dominance in refining?
• How are OEMs and manufacturers reassessing their exposure to Chinese-controlled refining and processing?
• How can miners, governments, and investors work together to stabilise global processing outside of China?
• What role do public-private partnerships play in keeping refineries open?

Speaker: Julian Kettle, Senior Vice President, Vice Chair Metals and Mining

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Date: Thursday 9th Oct, 12.40pm - 1.40pm

Interactive Roundtable

Details TBC

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