Publications

The Center publishes analyses critical to national security on domestic and international mineral supply chains.

Mineral statistics

World map showing countries the US relied on for mineral imports from 2020-23.

The Minerals Yearbook, Mineral Commodity Summaries, Mineral Industry Surveys, and more periodicals.

Materials flow

Reports on materials flow -- the movement of materials through a supply chain, from extraction to processing to finished product.

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Specialty

Infographic showing the National Minerals Information Center By-the-Numbers. Click for accessible text.

Facts sheets on mineral commodities, materials flow, and supply chain topics.

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August 1, 2014

Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes supply chains to identify and define major components of mineral and material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Two major reasons necessitate these analyses: (1) to identify risks associated with the supply of critical and strategic minerals to the United States and (2) to provide greater supply chain...

Authors

Omayra Bermudez-Lugo

Mineral Resources Program, National Minerals Information Center

July 25, 2014

Platinum-group elements: So many excellent properties Platinum-group elements: So many excellent properties

The platinum-group elements (PGE) include platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium. These metals have similar physical and chemical properties and occur together in nature. The properties of PGE, such as high melting points, corrosion resistance, and catalytic qualities, make them indispensable to many industrial applications. PGE are strategic and critical materials...

Authors

Michael L. Zientek, Patricia J. Loferski

Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

July 2, 2014

Niobium and tantalum: indispensable twins Niobium and tantalum: indispensable twins

Niobium and tantalum are transition metals almost always paired together in nature. These “twins” are difficult to separate because of their shared physical and chemical properties. In 1801, English chemist Charles Hatchett uncovered an unknown element in a mineral sample of columbite; John Winthrop found the sample in a Massachusetts mine and sent it to the British Museum in London in...

Authors

Klaus Schulz, John Papp

Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, National Minerals Information Center

July 1, 2014

Titanium 2013 Titanium 2013

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the earth's crust and can be found in nearly all rocks and sediments. It is a lithophile element with a strong affinity for oxygen and is not found as a pure metal in nature. Titanium was first isolated as a pure metal in 1910, but it was not until 1948 that the metal was produced commercially using the Kroll process (named after its...

National Minerals Information Center

July 1, 2014