Dr Chenyan Lyu is a Research Fellow in Sustainable Finance at the University of Exeter Business School and a member of the UKRI Critical Minerals Challenge Centre (CMCC). Her expertise spans sustainable finance, energy economics, financial economics and macroeconomics. Her current research examines how critical mineral projects can attract long-term investment while supporting resilient, responsible and sustainable supply chains. In particular, she studies the financing barriers faced by mining and mineral-processing projects, the respective roles of public and private capital, and the ways in which ESG considerations, policy uncertainty and geopolitical risks shape investment decisions. Her work draws on engagement with mining companies, investors, financial institutions and public-sector funding bodies, with a particular focus on the UK critical minerals sector.
Bridging the Critical Minerals Finance Gap: Insights from the UK
Critical minerals are essential to the energy transition and economic security, yet many mining and mineral-processing projects struggle to secure finance and progress from exploration to commercial operation. Drawing on ongoing research by the UKRI Critical Minerals Challenge Centre and interviews with mining companies, investors, financial institutions and public funding bodies, this presentation examines the principal barriers affecting investment across the critical minerals value chain. It considers how geological, technical, market, regulatory and geopolitical risks interact with ESG expectations and influence financing decisions at different project stages.
