Romania is advancing a series of mining and processing projects aimed at shifting from raw material exports to domestic refining and downstream production, Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan said.
The initiative centres on developing local capacity for copper, graphite, magnesium and rare earth elements, in line with the European Union’s strategy to secure critical raw materials and reduce external dependency.
Copper refining to close the value chain gap
A EUR 300 million copper refinery is planned in Hunedoara through a partnership involving state owned CupruMin and a private Romanian company.
Romania currently exports copper concentrate for refining abroad, including to Türkiye and China, and then imports the processed metal for use in manufacturing. The new facility is expected to retain more value domestically and supply the local cable and components industry.
EU strategic projects in magnesium and graphite
Two projects designated as strategic by the European Union in April 2025 target magnesium production in Bihor and battery grade graphite at Baia de Fier in Gorj county.
The magnesium project involves US and Canadian partners, while the graphite operation is controlled by majority state owned Salrom. Their combined investment value is estimated at EUR 315 million.
Rare earth processing partnership linked to Greenland
Romania is also working on a rare earth processing project at the Feldioara uranium concentrate processing plant, operated by nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica.
A joint venture with US based Critical Metals Corp. is expected to process 50 percent of the output from a major rare earth deposit in Greenland. The project may receive financing through the EU’s RESourceEU programme, which has a total budget of up to EUR 3 billion.
Aim to attract downstream industries
The government expects that domestic refining of critical materials will support the development of higher value manufacturing sectors, including microelectronics, automotive components, aerospace and defence.
Part of wider European supply chain shift
Romania’s plans reflect a broader EU push to develop internal capacity for processing and refining critical minerals, an area currently dominated by Asian producers.
With existing mining operations, industrial infrastructure and EU funding access, the country is seeking to position itself as a regional hub for selected segments of the critical raw materials value chain.
