The UK Government has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Critical Minerals between the UK and the United States, aimed at strengthening cooperation on critical mineral supply chains, investment and policy alignment.
The agreement was signed in Washington DC by the UK Department for Business and Trade and the US Government on 4th February 2026, and forms part of a broader international effort to improve the resilience and security of strategically important materials.
What does the MoU cover?
The MoU commits both governments to closer collaboration on:
- Securing critical mineral supply chains
- Supporting responsible sourcing and processing
- Encouraging investment in mining, processing and recycling capacity
- Sharing information and best practice on policy and regulation
As part of the agreement, the UK and US have also committed to convening a Mining, Minerals and Metals Investment Ministerial within the next six months to further develop cooperation and investment opportunities.
Why this matters for the UK aluminium industry
While the MoU is not aluminium-specific, it is relevant to the UK aluminium sector for several important reasons.
Aluminium is recognised by the UK Government as a critical mineral, reflecting its strategic importance to infrastructure, transport, defence, construction and advanced manufacturing. This agreement reinforces the Government’s focus on securing access to critical materials through partnerships with key allies.
The MoU also signals increased emphasis on mid-stream processing, recycling and value-added manufacturing, rather than focusing solely on raw material extraction. This aligns closely with the structure of the UK aluminium sector, where recycled and secondary aluminium play a central role.
More broadly, the agreement sits within a geopolitical context where governments are seeking to reduce supply chain concentration risks and strengthen domestic and allied industrial capability. For UK aluminium businesses, this reinforces the policy relevance of domestic processing capacity, circularity and industrial resilience.
What does this mean in practice?
At this stage, the MoU does not introduce new regulatory requirements or immediate changes to market conditions. However, it:
- Strengthens the policy framework underpinning the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy
- Reinforces the importance of domestic capability, including recycling and processing
- Provides a clearer context for future trade, investment and industrial policy decisions
As implementation work progresses, there may be opportunities for industry input into related policy discussions, investment initiatives or consultations.
ALFED’s position
ALFED continues to engage with Government on issues affecting the competitiveness and resilience of the UK aluminium sector, including trade policy, circularity, energy costs and domestic processing capacity.
We will monitor developments linked to the UK-US MoU and update members as further detail emerges, particularly where there are implications for aluminium recycling, processing or downstream manufacturing.
Members with questions or views on this announcement are encouraged to contact the ALFED team.
To read the original announcement, please visit: UK and US sign Memorandum of Understanding on critical minerals – GOV.UK
