Major Investors Call for New “International Minerals Agency” to Tackle Supply Risks

A coalition of major investors overseeing approximately US $18 trillion in assets is calling for the creation of a new agency to monitor the global minerals market. 

Modeled after the International Energy Agency (IEA), the proposed International Minerals Agency (IMA) would track global demand and supply of critical minerals. These include lithium, cobalt and others essential for EVs, semiconductors and renewable technologies. 

The investors argue that current data on minerals is fragmented and opaque. They plan for the IMA to also assess how companies perform on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards across mining operations. 

The call comes amid rising risk in the mineral sector. Many countries are tightening control over strategic deposits and supply chains because of concerns around electrification and the green-energy transition. 

The initiative is backed by the Global Investor Commission on Mining 2030, which includes leading firms such as PIMCO, ING Group, Allianz Investment Management, the Church of England Pension Fund and others. 

The group released a report in São Paulo alongside a meeting with Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, outlining a ten-year roadmap for responsible mining and improved transparency.