Critical Minerals Overview
Critical minerals are raw materials that are economically significant and face supply chain risks due to geographic concentration of production. The EU, US, UK, and other jurisdictions maintain official critical minerals lists that inform trade policy, export controls, and supply chain due diligence requirements.
Key Minerals
Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements are essential for electric vehicle batteries and clean energy technology. Manganese, tungsten, and titanium are critical for defense and aerospace applications. Indium, gallium, and germanium are critical for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing.
Regulatory Framework
The EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) establishes benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing, and recycling of critical raw materials. The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes critical minerals provisions for EV tax credits. The US Executive Order on America's Supply Chains directs agencies to assess critical minerals supply chain vulnerabilities.