Critical minerals are non-fuel minerals essential to the economic or national security of the United States and which have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption. In close collaboration with the mining industry, state and federal governmental agencies are conducting research on critical mineral deposits to help improve the nation’s supply of domestically sourced critical minerals. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States was 100 percent import reliant on 12 of the 50 listed critical minerals, and greater than 50 percent import reliant for an additional 31 critical minerals in 2022. These critical minerals are used in the manufacturing of products that are essential to the defense, energy,...
