critical mineral

[ krit-i-kuhl min-er-uhl, min-ruhl ]

noun

1. a mineral or element, such as aluminum, cobalt, lithium, or nickel, that is declared by the U.S. government to be necessary for the production of nationally important technologies and is difficult to source, especially because of its rarity or location.

Word History and Origins

Origin of critical mineral¹

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

The recent arrests come as Nigeria seeks to regulate its mining operations of critical minerals, curb illegal activity and better benefit from its mineral resources.

From Seattle Times

This reactivity, however, is exactly why lithium makes a great material for batteries, and why it is a critical mineral for the green energy transition.

From Science Daily

The escalating conflict comes as international demand for critical minerals found on the seafloor grows, but an increasing number of countries say more research is needed into the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining.

From Seattle Times

The G7 - the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada - expressed "concern" over recent control measures on the export of critical minerals.

From Reuters

"With many critical minerals markets dominated by Chinese state-owned enterprises, the U.S. has declared an interest in 'friendshoring' its supply chains to allied partners like Australia," he added.

From Reuters