MiningMatters: What Makes a Mineral "Critical"?
A hashtagcritical mineral is one that plays a vital role in a nation’s economic performance, technological capabilities, or national security, yet has a supply chain that is susceptible to interruption. This concept is increasingly central to resource policy and industrial strategy as modern technologies expand reliance on specialized materials.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (hashtagUSGS) and the Energy Act of 2020, a mineral qualifies as “critical” only if it meets three key criteria: it is essential to an economy or its national security; it serves an indispensable function in the manufacturing of important products; and its supply chain is vulnerable to disruption from geopolitical risk, abrupt demand increases, trade barriers, or other risks. Minerals that fail these tests, such as common fuels or widely available construction materials are excluded.
What makes a mineral critical is not just its chemical properties, but the intersection of its use and accessibility. For instance, many critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements, and others are essential in clean energy technologies, defense systems, electronics, and advanced manufacturing. Their absence could slow production of electric vehicles, wind turbines, semiconductors, and medical devices, which would in turn affect economic competitiveness or national readiness.
Moreover, criticality is dynamic: as global demand shifts, technologies evolve, and trade patterns change, minerals may move on or off critical lists. Governments use these lists to prioritize resource exploration, supply chain diversification, recycling initiatives, and strategic stockpiling, aiming to reduce dependency on unstable sources and protect against future disruptions.
