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China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and artisanal cobalt mining from 2000 through 2020

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Mineral Commodity Summaries 2023

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Embedded Critical Material Flow: The Case of Niobium, the United States, and China

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Materials Flow in the United States—A Global Context, 1900–2020

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Global Tellurium Supply Potential from Electrolytic Copper Refining

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Investigation of U.S. Foreign Reliance on Critical Minerals

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Dynamic Material Flow Analysis of Tantalum in the United States from 2002 to 2020

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U.S. Critical Minerals List

Methodology and Technical Input for the 2021 Review and Revision

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National Minerals Information Center

Statistics and information on the worldwide supply of, demand for, and flow of minerals and materials essential to the U.S. economy, the national security, and protection of the environment.

Statistical Periodicals

Image of the cover of the zinc in August publication

On-line statistical and economic publications designed to provide timely statistical data on production, distribution, stocks, and consumption of significant mineral commodities. 

Periodic Pubications

Materials Flow

Graph from Zeolites 2016 chapter showing increasing production trend with fluctuations since 1975

Understanding the whole system of materials flow, from source to ultimate disposition, can help us better manage the use of natural resources and protect the environment, and ensure a supply of critical minerals.

Special Publications

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Contributions of data by mineral industry companies through canvass forms completed annually, monthly, or quarterly are the basis of U.S. mineral industry publications. Information can be accessed through the following major categories. 

News

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USGS Records Nonfuel Mineral Production Jump of $3.6 Billion in 2022

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The USGS Seeks Public Comment on Helium Supply Risk

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USGS, Apple Develop New Metric to Better Understand Global Mining Impacts of Key Minerals and their Future Supply

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Publications

Analyzing spatial distributions and alignments of pitted cone features in Utopia Planitia on Mars

Martian geomorphology and surface features provide links to understanding past geologic processes such as fluid movement, local and regional tectonics, and feature formation mechanisms. Pitted cones are common features in the northern plains basins of Mars. They have been proposed to have formed from upwelling volatile-rich fluids, such as magma or water-sediment slurries. In this study, we map th
Authors
Mackenzie M. Mills, Alfred S. McEwen, Amanda N. Hughes, Ji-Eun Kim, Chris Okubo
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

Rare earth element sources, end-use demand trends, and hydrometallurgical separations

Rare earth elements are increasing in demand due to the movement towards electrification. In particular, there is a growing need for high performance rare earth permanent magnets for motors and generators used to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy, and vice versa. Current trends in rare earth demand are reviewed and discussed as the specific rare earth metal demand can influence the ch
Authors
James Vaughan, Vitor L. Gontijo, Rick Valenta, Elisa Alonso
By
National Minerals Information Center

China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and artisanal cobalt mining from 2000 through 2020

From 2000 through 2020, demand for cobalt to manufacture batteries grew 26-fold. Eighty-two percent of this growth occurred in China and China’s cobalt refinery production increased 78-fold. Diminished industrial cobalt mine production in the early-to-mid 2000s led many Chinese companies to purchase ores from artisanal cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), many of whom have
Authors
Andrew L. Gulley
By
National Minerals Information Center
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