Private equity and traders financing of strategic metalsPrivate equity funds are emerging as a major financing source for new critical minerals projects, with traditional bank financiers taking a lesser role as risk perception grows.
Traders, streamers, off-takers and end-users who are anxious to secure supplies of critical minerals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, silicon, niobium, rare earths and graphite, are also coming to the fore as financiers. Governments in the future are expected to be more supportive as they build up their own lists and stockpiles of materials that are used increasingly for applications in energy transition, including in electric-vehicle batteries and wind towers as well as defense.