Critical Minerals: The Backbone of The Clean Energy Transition

Critical minerals are a group of naturally occurring elements and minerals that are of strategic importance to an economy or industry due to their essential applications and limited availability.

Source: BP (2014): Materials critical to the energy industry.

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Economic Importance

Critical minerals are essential for the functioning of key industries, such as clean energy, electronics, defense, aerospace, and telecommunications.

Supply Risk

These minerals are often subject to supply chain vulnerabilities due to their limited production sources or geopolitical factors.

High Demand

The growing demand for advanced technologies, especially in the context of the clean energy transition, has led to increased pressure on the supply of critical minerals.

Lack of Substitutes

In many cases, there are no direct substitutes for these minerals, making them irreplaceable in specific technologies.

Industry Reports

Read what industry leaders think about the role of critical minerals in the future


IEA: The role of critical minerals in clean energy transition

"An energy system powered by clean energy technologies differs profoundly from one fueled by traditional hydrocarbon resources. [...] Demand for these minerals will grow quickly as clean energy transitions gather pace."

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United States Geological Survey Releases 2022 List of Critical Minerals

The 2022 list of critical minerals was determined using the most up-to-date scientific methods to evaluate mineral criticality. The new list contains 15 more commodities compared to the nation’s first list of critical minerals created in 2018.

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World Bank: The Mineral Intensity of the Clean Energy Transition

A new World Bank Group report finds that the production of minerals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, could increase by nearly 500% by 2050, to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies.

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