critical mineral

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

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

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.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of critical mineral¹

First recorded in 2005–10

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Co-operation on defence and Canada's abundant critical minerals is also on the table.

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The deep sea contains billions of tonnes of potato-shaped rocks, called polymetallic nodules, which are rich in critical minerals like cobalt and rare earths.

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Albanese's proposed reserve includes rare earths as well as other critical minerals of which Australia is a top producer - like lithium and cobalt.

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In 2024, China banned the export of another critical mineral, antimony, that is crucial to various manufacturing processes.

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The war in Ukraine has also put new emphasis on the country's bountiful natural resources in oil, gas and critical minerals.

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critical mass critical path analysis

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