What are critical minerals?
The Nation’s statistics on the global supply, demand and trade of mineral commodities.
Meet the National Minerals Information Center
Mineral supply chains are complex, constantly changing, and global in scale. Decision-makers rely on our mineral supply chain science to make sense of these complicated systems and make strategic policy, trade and land-use decisions.
Where does the graphite in your phone come from? How much sand and gravel does the U.S. produce? What would happen if a war, earthquake or change in trade relationship reduced mineral supply to the U.S.?
We collect the Nation’s data on the global supply, demand and trade of minerals, and analyze these data across economic sectors. Our science helps make sense of complex supply chains and the forces that control them. Our science also highlights vulnerabilities and opportunities in mineral supplies chains.
Americans rely on minerals every day, from our roads to our homes, from technology in phones to satellites in the sky, and from the cosmetics we wear to medical devices we use. Yet, many of the minerals we rely on come from outside of our Nation, and may travel long, winding paths.
Our supply chain science supports policy makers in making strategic policy, trade and land-use decisions, and informs the investment of billions of dollars by the public and private sectors. We also provide expertise to the federal government in times of need, advising the White House, Congress, and numerous other government organizations, including the intelligence agencies, the National Defense Stockpile, the Federal Reserve Board, Homeland Security, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, and State.
Learn More
Meet the National Mineral Information Center
Science to Strengthen Mineral Supply Chains
Find Supply Chain Information
Data collection
Our National Mineral Information Center (NMIC) in Reston, VA collects the Nation’s data on the global supply, demand and trade of minerals, and analyzes these data across economic sectors.
The Center collects data on over 90 mineral commodities from the U.S. and its territories, in 180 countries, and across 235 manufacturing industries. To collect data, NMIC experts send out over 35,000 surveys each year to domestic mineral producers, foreign countries, and other industries. Every year, this information is summarized in annual Mineral Commodity Summaries.
Expertise to Support Decision-Making
NMIC staff are experts with deep insights into mineral supply chains, including specialists who focus on specific mineral commodities and countries. NMIC does key research to understand mineral supply chains, identify vulnerabilities in mineral supply chains, and forecast future trends in supply and demand. Among other responsibilities, NMIC develops the data-driven methodologies for developing the Nation’s List of Critical Minerals.
NMIC experts also advise the federal government in times of need, such as when the White House, Congress or federal agencies are trying to understand how to respond to events that could pose a risk to the U.S. mineral supply (like changes in trade relationships, foreign conflicts or natural disasters).
A Long Legacy
NMIC has a legacy that extends back for over a century – and a record of data equally as long. This long legacy of data collection and expertise provides essential context for understanding today’s mineral supply chains and how they might change in the future.
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One of our responsibilities is to lead the federal government in developing the Nation’s List of Critical Minerals. Minerals that are “critical” are essential to the economic or national security of the United States, and have supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption. We use a data-driven methodology and look across over 230 economic sectors to develop the List of Critical Minerals, which we review at least every three years. The List of Critical Minerals is used by the public and private sectors to evaluate the risk of essential mineral supply chains. The 2022 List of Critical Minerals contains 50 minerals.
Our research of mineral supply chains also provides insights into the potential impacts of specific disruptions, possible policy options to strengthen mineral supply chains, global and domestic trends, and how different scenarios of mineral availability could play out in the future.
Explore some of our recent science.
The 2022 List of Critical Minerals
2023 Critical Minerals Review
Industry vulnerability to disruptions in mineral commodity supplies
Global earthquake risk and mineral supplies
Niobium in product imports and exports
China and cobalt battery materials
Materials flow in the U.S., 1900-2020
Tellurium supplies and copper refining
Annual summaries of information about over 80 non-fuel minerals, including statistics for each mineral commodity such as:
- domestic production, imports, exports, consumption, and recycling
- global production, reserves and resources
- mineral price, related employment and net import reliance
- mineral use and potential substitutes
- tariffs and government stockpiles
- relevant events, trends and issues
Data about the domestic production, distribution, stocks and consumption of mineral commodities. These data are collected by USGS through surveys sent to U.S. mineral producers. These reports are mineral-specific and may be issued annually, quarterly or monthly.
Methodology and Technical Input for the 2021 Review and Revision of the U.S. Critical Minerals List
This publication contains analyses of the supply chain vulnerabilities of all 50 minerals on the 2022 list of critical minerals.
State Mineral Production Statistics
This web page contains data about mineral production for all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
State Construction Aggregates Statistics
This excel sheet contains data about construction aggregates production in all 50 states. Construction aggregates are crushed stone, sand and gravel that are an essential part of the construction industry.
International Mineral Statistics
These web pages contain reports on mineral information from over 180 countries. Reports include sections on government policies and programs, environmental issues, trade and production data, industry structure and ownership, commodity sector developments, infrastructure, and a summary outlook. These web pages also contain geospatial data about mineral industries and related infrastructure in select countries.
USGS Mineral Resources On-Line Spatial Data
This portal provides access to geospatial data about domestic and global mineral deposits and mining infrastructure.
Find more supply chain data and research on the National Mineral Information Center website.
Mineral supply chains are complex, constantly changing, and global in scale. Decision-makers rely on our mineral supply chain science to make sense of these complicated systems and make strategic policy, trade and land-use decisions.
Where does the graphite in your phone come from? How much sand and gravel does the U.S. produce? What would happen if a war, earthquake or change in trade relationship reduced mineral supply to the U.S.?
We collect the Nation’s data on the global supply, demand and trade of minerals, and analyze these data across economic sectors. Our science helps make sense of complex supply chains and the forces that control them. Our science also highlights vulnerabilities and opportunities in mineral supplies chains.
Americans rely on minerals every day, from our roads to our homes, from technology in phones to satellites in the sky, and from the cosmetics we wear to medical devices we use. Yet, many of the minerals we rely on come from outside of our Nation, and may travel long, winding paths.
Our supply chain science supports policy makers in making strategic policy, trade and land-use decisions, and informs the investment of billions of dollars by the public and private sectors. We also provide expertise to the federal government in times of need, advising the White House, Congress, and numerous other government organizations, including the intelligence agencies, the National Defense Stockpile, the Federal Reserve Board, Homeland Security, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, and State.
Learn More
Meet the National Mineral Information Center
Science to Strengthen Mineral Supply Chains
Find Supply Chain Information
Data collection
Our National Mineral Information Center (NMIC) in Reston, VA collects the Nation’s data on the global supply, demand and trade of minerals, and analyzes these data across economic sectors.
The Center collects data on over 90 mineral commodities from the U.S. and its territories, in 180 countries, and across 235 manufacturing industries. To collect data, NMIC experts send out over 35,000 surveys each year to domestic mineral producers, foreign countries, and other industries. Every year, this information is summarized in annual Mineral Commodity Summaries.
Expertise to Support Decision-Making
NMIC staff are experts with deep insights into mineral supply chains, including specialists who focus on specific mineral commodities and countries. NMIC does key research to understand mineral supply chains, identify vulnerabilities in mineral supply chains, and forecast future trends in supply and demand. Among other responsibilities, NMIC develops the data-driven methodologies for developing the Nation’s List of Critical Minerals.
NMIC experts also advise the federal government in times of need, such as when the White House, Congress or federal agencies are trying to understand how to respond to events that could pose a risk to the U.S. mineral supply (like changes in trade relationships, foreign conflicts or natural disasters).
A Long Legacy
NMIC has a legacy that extends back for over a century – and a record of data equally as long. This long legacy of data collection and expertise provides essential context for understanding today’s mineral supply chains and how they might change in the future.
|
|
One of our responsibilities is to lead the federal government in developing the Nation’s List of Critical Minerals. Minerals that are “critical” are essential to the economic or national security of the United States, and have supply chains that are vulnerable to disruption. We use a data-driven methodology and look across over 230 economic sectors to develop the List of Critical Minerals, which we review at least every three years. The List of Critical Minerals is used by the public and private sectors to evaluate the risk of essential mineral supply chains. The 2022 List of Critical Minerals contains 50 minerals.
Our research of mineral supply chains also provides insights into the potential impacts of specific disruptions, possible policy options to strengthen mineral supply chains, global and domestic trends, and how different scenarios of mineral availability could play out in the future.
Explore some of our recent science.
The 2022 List of Critical Minerals
2023 Critical Minerals Review
Industry vulnerability to disruptions in mineral commodity supplies
Global earthquake risk and mineral supplies
Niobium in product imports and exports
China and cobalt battery materials
Materials flow in the U.S., 1900-2020
Tellurium supplies and copper refining
Annual summaries of information about over 80 non-fuel minerals, including statistics for each mineral commodity such as:
- domestic production, imports, exports, consumption, and recycling
- global production, reserves and resources
- mineral price, related employment and net import reliance
- mineral use and potential substitutes
- tariffs and government stockpiles
- relevant events, trends and issues
Data about the domestic production, distribution, stocks and consumption of mineral commodities. These data are collected by USGS through surveys sent to U.S. mineral producers. These reports are mineral-specific and may be issued annually, quarterly or monthly.
Methodology and Technical Input for the 2021 Review and Revision of the U.S. Critical Minerals List
This publication contains analyses of the supply chain vulnerabilities of all 50 minerals on the 2022 list of critical minerals.
State Mineral Production Statistics
This web page contains data about mineral production for all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
State Construction Aggregates Statistics
This excel sheet contains data about construction aggregates production in all 50 states. Construction aggregates are crushed stone, sand and gravel that are an essential part of the construction industry.
International Mineral Statistics
These web pages contain reports on mineral information from over 180 countries. Reports include sections on government policies and programs, environmental issues, trade and production data, industry structure and ownership, commodity sector developments, infrastructure, and a summary outlook. These web pages also contain geospatial data about mineral industries and related infrastructure in select countries.
USGS Mineral Resources On-Line Spatial Data
This portal provides access to geospatial data about domestic and global mineral deposits and mining infrastructure.
Find more supply chain data and research on the National Mineral Information Center website.