With the global order in flux and geopolitical tensions rising, geopolitical thinking increasingly shapes EU policies. Focusing on critical raw materials (CRMs) and related policies, we argue that these developments signal and structure the emergence of a form of geopolitical relationship with nature. Based on a qualitative analysis of public policy documents, we demonstrate the geopolitical shift in the symbolic-discursive and material-physical dimensions of CRMs. Adopting a relational perspective, we depart from conventional neorealist accounts to offer an alternative interpretation of the current conjuncture, highlighting the contradictions that characterise it.