Critical Minerals refer to the minerals that that are mined to create our digital tools and products. Examples of critical minerals, include lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. They are considered critical because they have become vital for our current economies and national security, with many governments struggling to secure them nationally or internationally because they are not found everywhere but are in high demand.

Rare earth elements (REE) are a sub-set of Critical Minerals and refer to seventeen elements, such as neodymium, promethium and cerium. REE are also used extensively in digital technology production as they are present in all microchips. Despite their name, they are not rare per se, but the challenge is that they are found in very low concentrations and intermingled with other minerals, making it difficult and expensive to extract them.

Our contemporary societies are deeply entwined with these minerals and elements. As noted by the UK government in recent policy documents the reason that such minerals and elements are vital is due to their use in “communications, critical infrastructure, defence, renewable energy, transport, and life sciences. Without them, our lives would grind to a halt. Industries would shut down overnight and communities would not be able to function”. Ministerial forward, Vision 2035: Critical Minerals Strategy, Department of Business and Trade, UK.

Yet these geological forms, which take thousands of years to form, are finite and involve complex, extractive practices that are labor-intensive and inequitable.

Over Monday 18th 2026, the Critical Infrastructure and Image Politics Group (CIIP) and Social Practice Lab at WSA, join forces to consider these minerals and elements.

Convening an event that brings together invited artists, academics, educators, technologists, curators, and producers, we are interested in creative practices that engage with this topic.

With a particular focus on public engagement, curriculum development and relational, kinship methodologies. Outcomes of day will inform future public facing events and calls for collaboration.

Agenda
Monday 18^th May
14.00-16.30: Sharing of practices from Teresa Dillon, Max Dovey, Stephen Cornford, Yadira Sanchez Benitez
17.00-18.00: Open Discussions
18.00-19.30: Evening conversation with Jussi Parikka

Ref:
Department of Business and Trade, Gov UK, Vision 2035: Critical Mineral Strategy, Policy Paper, Updated 23 January 2026. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-critical-minerals-strategy/vision-2035-critical-minerals-strategy. [Accessed 6th May 2026]