SLR is part of critical minerals outreach funding awarded to target geoscience skills gap

A collaboration to bring critical minerals learning resources into UK schools has been awarded funding support by the Department for Business & Trade. The joint project between Future Is Mine CIC and Minerals Matter, with industry support from SLR, will deliver teaching resources on critical minerals supply chains to UK schools from April 2025.

Critical minerals are essential ingredients in our modern lives and central to economic growth. They are found in everything from our smartphones and laptops, to our cars, airplanes and clean energy technologies. Building resilient critical mineral supply chains in the UK is threatened by looming skills gaps, however, with the number of young people choosing to study geosciences in the UK falling steadily over the past decade.

“The role of critical minerals in the advancement of society cannot be understated, and these materials will only grow in importance as we develop more sustainable industries,” commented Jess Roberts, Co-Founder of Future Is Mine. “But awareness of geosciences and mining is generally low, and fewer students are choosing to study in these sectors. This support from the Department for Business & Trade enables us to bring fantastic resources into schools and showcase the role critical minerals play in building a more sustainable world.”

Ben Lepley of SLR adds: “This exciting opportunity allows us to build on great work done by the European Union EIT Raw Materials’ Briefcase of Mineral Applications project that ran for several years. Our project aims to take this concept and grow a network of resources across the UK and inspire future generations to get involved in this essential industry required for the energy transition”

The critical minerals resources will be available to schools from April 2025. For more information or to enquire about using these resources in your school, contact info@futureismine.co.uk and info@minerals-matter.co.uk.