Washington, DC—The USGS has released a new draft Critical Minerals list and methodology, which incorporates forward-looking information on likely disruptions to future critical mineral supplies.
Previously, the USGS’s critical minerals list was only a snapshot in time, providing a gap for analysts and industry trying to assess future risks—especially for minerals that didn’t qualify under the previous methodology.
“Minerals supply security conversations are rarely about the here-and-now, and almost always focus on the future, as today’s mining, processing, and advanced manufacturing investments and policies determine tomorrow’s mineral supplies,” said Abigail Hunter, Executive Director of SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy. “We’ve long encouraged the federal agencies to explore forward-looking assessments and enthusiastically applaud this expanded consideration of how trade disruptions, price changes, and single points of failure for critical minerals could impact the U.S. economy. We also applaud the related prioritization in the new methodology, as if everything is critical, nothing is critical.”
SAFE first included the following recommendation in our 2023 A Global Race to the Top report, which stated:
Update the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Critical Minerals List to include a “threatened” designation. While the current U.S. Critical Minerals List accurately captures many of the obstacles facing steady and secure access to mineral commodities, it does not list them as “critical” until there is already a high risk of supply chain disruption. To improve mineral forecasting and our ability to react to looming mineral shortages, DOI should create a new “threatened” list for critical minerals that captures vulnerabilities to important commodities before it is too late. Update the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Critical Minerals List to provide an aspect of minerals forecasting, including a “threatened” list of minerals critical for key industries but that do not yet pose the same level of dangerous import reliance as the existing definition for critical minerals.
SAFE looks forward to working with the UGSG on the finalization of the list.
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About SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy
SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy (Minerals Center) aims to secure all aspects of the critical minerals supply chain to help ensure the national and economic security of the United States and our allies as we transition to a minerals-based economy.
About SAFE
SAFE is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization committed to transportation, energy, and supply chain policies that advance the economic and national security of the United States, its partners, and allies. Since 2004, SAFE has worked with its Energy Security Leadership Council—a peerless coalition of current and former Fortune 500 CEOs and retired 4-star admirals and generals—to support secure, resilient, and responsible energy solutions. Learn more at SecureEnergy.org.
