35 Minerals Absolutely Critical to U.S. Security

Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist

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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 draft list of 35 critical minerals 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.

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…

The list includes minerals that are important for defense, economic, and industrial purposes – and it keys in especially on minerals that are not produced in substantial quantities domestically.

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.

Preparing for the Worst-Case Scenario

Imagine the hypothetical impact of a lack of uranium for nuclear plants, a hampered ability to create high-strength steel and superalloys for the U.S. military, or if U.S. auto manufacturers had limited access to aluminum, steel, PGMs, and battery metals.

The challenge, as U.S. federal authorities realize, is that 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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29 Comments
Joe
Joe
March 3, 2018 1:33 pm

It is good to have a list but where are they located in the US?

starfcker
starfcker
March 3, 2018 1:49 pm

Llpoh “it takes years to start up a rare earth mine”. Starfck “Then we better get started, huh?” Nov. 10 2015

Boat Guy
Boat Guy
March 3, 2018 1:55 pm

Start no way let’s do a 5 year study regarding envioremental impact on everything and by then the real world technology advancements will leave America in the dust . Oh that already happened , never mind ! Now where the hell is my EBT CARD ??

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
March 3, 2018 2:22 pm

I work with tantalum, tellurium, indium, antimony, gallium, bismuth and aluminum. Our needs are for six nines five purity or better and we refine it further from there.

General
General
  IndenturedServant
March 3, 2018 6:56 pm

Out of curiosity, what do you use them for?

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
  General
March 3, 2018 7:48 pm

Semiconductors. Some of these metals have some crazy properties. Search on fun things to do with gallium.

Stucky
Stucky
  IndenturedServant
March 4, 2018 6:22 am

“I work with tantalum, tellurium, indium, antimony, gallium, bismuth”

Sounds like a Jewish law firm.

S. White
S. White
March 3, 2018 2:56 pm

According to Admiral Bird (did expedition to Antarctica),there is more than enough minerals and other sustainable energy sources for years and years in Antarctica…for some reason, it is off limits to the entire human race but a few….hmmmm

22winmag - refugee from ZeroHedge who just couldn't take the explosion of doom porn and the avalanche of near-hourly Bitcoin stories
22winmag - refugee from ZeroHedge who just couldn't take the explosion of doom porn and the avalanche of near-hourly Bitcoin stories
March 3, 2018 3:09 pm

35 minerals absolutely critical to PORKULOUS PROJECTS LIKE TESLA and the MILTARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.

General
General
March 3, 2018 4:15 pm

And where is gold and silver on that list?

Rdawg
Rdawg
  General
March 3, 2018 7:31 pm

D-E-A-D.

Ever since I started stacking the price is down or sideways.

I’ve got the the inverse Midas touch.

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 7:54 pm

So you’re the problem!!??

You didn’t get in on $6-$7 silver and $500-$600 gold? I did but not enough.

EDIT: I got some killer deals on numismatic gold from the US Mint, especially those fractional Buffalos.

Rdawg
Rdawg
  IndenturedServant
March 3, 2018 8:06 pm

I had some gold way back when it was in the $300s. Held it for years but liquidated for other purposes. Got back in around ’09 and have been getting ass-raped ever since. Good times.

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 9:19 pm

Well they say a positive attitude is half the battle. 🙂

Rdawg
Rdawg
  IndenturedServant
March 3, 2018 9:39 pm

Well I am positive I am getting boned.

BL
BL
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 9:45 pm

Rdawg continues to moan and howl at the moon, gold is a tail hedge dawg, stay calm and wait for the crash.

Rdawg
Rdawg
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 9:53 pm

My stack’s not going anywhere, but I suspect I’ll be dead long before it does me any good. Maybe my kid or my kid’s kids can make use of it.

BTW, what’s wrong with howling and moaning?

Rdawg
Rdawg
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 10:07 pm

True dat.

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 10:37 pm

I don’t have kids so I figure if I don’t need to sell for some reason I might charter a boat and skip gold and silver coins out into the ocean for grins before I check out.

Rdawg
Rdawg
  Rdawg
March 3, 2018 11:15 pm

Good idea. Tighten up supply for the rest of us.

IndenturedServant
IndenturedServant
  Rdawg
March 4, 2018 12:45 am

That’s just how anti central banking/inflation I am!

Could you imagine the look on the faces of the crew when they catch on that I’m skipping real coins? Wonder how many more they let me skip before I “fall overboard”?

nkit
nkit
  Rdawg
March 4, 2018 12:52 am

Your poor wife..

MrLiberty
MrLiberty
March 3, 2018 4:47 pm

One way of obtaining these would be cooperative trade, allowing countries to run things the way THEY wished to, keeping our noses out of their business, being a shining example of freedom and liberty to the world, etc. The alternative – the one the US has chosen, is to simply overthrow governments you don’t like, steal the land and minerals you want, invade and occupy the countries that won’t do your bidding, engage in trade and tariff wars, tell everyone else how to be a “freedom-loving democracy” while staging coups, assassinating leaders, destroying freedom at home, representing only special interests instead of those of your citizens, etc. Never too late to change that however…. or maybe it is.

BB
BB
March 3, 2018 6:06 pm

The USA should just claim Antractica and dare the other countries . Might as well use the military for something worthwhile.

BB
BB
March 3, 2018 6:07 pm

Indent Service ,you better not get any of that stuff on your private parts .You know what happened last time.

TampaRed
TampaRed
  BB
March 3, 2018 9:32 pm

bb,
that’s why he’s now known as indecent winker–

LaGeR
LaGeR
March 4, 2018 2:28 pm

Amir Agnani. Up and coming one of Casey’s Top Ten to Watch in the mining / natural resources.
CEO of UEC.
Down in Texas, if I’m not mistaken.
(comments from old research…current conditions worthy of more careful study)
Might be worthy of a chunk of investment savings, if you plan on living another 20 years.
The world demand for Uranium is not going away, and the cure for low prices is when the producers stop producing for sale at less than their cost.
If you invest, and get a 10-bagger from it, consider a 10% tithe to Admin for this site, and another 10% table scrap tossed to this lil’ pup. Just sayin… it might be a good tip. Or not.

MadMike
MadMike
March 4, 2018 8:03 pm

Five that are necessary for liberty:
Gold
Silver
Lead
Copper and Zinc (Brass)