Tuesday , 19 March 2024

These Minerals Are Critical to U.S. Economic & National Security (+2K Views)

What do cobalt, uranium, helium, titanium, and fluorspar have in common? According to the U.S. government, these are all minerals that are deemed critical to both the economic and national security of the country. The list of 35 minerals (listed below) includes those that are important for defense, economic, and industrial purposes – and it keys in especially on minerals that are not produced in substantial quantities domestically.

The original article has been edited here for length (…) and clarity ([ ]) by munKNEE.com – A Site For Sore Eyes & Inquisitive Minds – to provide a fast & easy read.

Which Minerals Are On the Critical List?

The draft list of 35 critical minerals below was released on February 16, 2018 as the result of President Trump’s Executive Order 13817, which asked the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Secretary of Defense to publish a list of mineral commodities that are vital to U.S. interests.

35 Minerals Absolutely Critical to U.S. National Security

What Are Critical Minerals?

Under the Executive Order, a critical mineral is defined as: A non-fuel mineral or mineral material essential to the economic and national security of the United States, the supply chain of which is vulnerable to disruption…

Why These Critical Minerals?

We sorted the list based on some of the key uses of these minerals.

Critical Minerals by Use

Of course, some of these minerals could belong in multiple categories: for example, vanadium is used as a steel and titanium alloy strengthener, but also in rechargeable vanadium flow batteries. That said, the important commonality to note for all of these minerals is their crucial link to the U.S. economy and national security.

Many of these raw materials are produced in limited amounts domestically. In fact, according to the USGS, the country sources at least 31 of the aforementioned materials chiefly through imports. While it is unlikely that these supply chains would ever be disrupted, it’s never a bad idea to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

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