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Strategic Intelligence: Critical Minerals

Publisher GlobalData
Published Feb 11, 2026
Length 64 Pages
SKU # GBDT20911454

Description

Strategic Intelligence: Critical Minerals

Summary

As the global energy transition accelerates, it is driving unprecedented demand for critical minerals. Simultaneously, the technology sector demands materials with exceptional electrical, optical, and thermal properties, while the defense sector increasingly relies on these critical minerals for high-performance magnets, sensors, and other applications.

Key Highlights
  • Sectors reliant on critical minerals face significant challenges due to critical supply-side risks in the mining sector. Four key risks stand out: mineral depletion, resource monopolization, geopolitics, and ESG.
  • The near-term depletion of critical minerals raises concerns, especially amid instability in the mining market, which drives price volatility. Lower-grade ores complicate extraction, making it less efficient, particularly in the copper industry. Recycling will play a key role in diversifying supply chains.
  • The concentration of critical minerals in specific regions creates uneven resource distribution and volatile market dynamics. For example, much of the world’s lithium reserves are in South America, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) provides much of the world’s cobalt, and Indonesia dominates nickel production. To secure supply chains, many nations, including the US and China, are funding infrastructure and energy projects in South America and Africa.
Scope
  • This report provides an overview of the critical minerals theme.
  • It looks at demand-side drivers for critical minerals, including electric vehicles, solar energy, wind energy, nuclear power, and hydrogen, and supply-side risks for critical minerals, including mineral depletion, resource monopolization, geopolitics, and ESG.
  • The report includes analysis of critical mineral strategies by region, covering North America, Central and South America, Europe, China, Asia (excluding China), Afria, Australia, and the Middle East.
  • It also incoporates profiles of key players in critical minerals mining.
Reasons to Buy
  • This report examines in detail 15 minerals vital to the energy transition. Of these 15 minerals, GlobalData has identified the five most critical: lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements (REEs). These minerals are imperative to the development of batteries as well as solar, wind, nuclear, and hydrogen energy

Table of Contents

64 Pages
Executive Summary
Players
Thematic Briefing
Critical minerals for energy transition
Demand Drivers for Critical Minerals
Climate tech
Electric vehicles
Solar power
Wind power
Nuclear power
Hydrogen
Technology
Key critical minerals used in AI and digital technologies
Data centers case study
Defense
Key uses of critical minerals in the defense sector
Supply-Side Risks for Critical Minerals
Mineral depletion
Critical minerals prices are volatile
The decreasing ore grade is an issue
Recycling is vital to address supply chain vulnerabilities
Resource monopolization
Monopolization poses a growing threat
Nickel is the main character in Southeast Asia
China controls the graphite market
Geopolitics
Trade wars and conflicts pose huge risks to mineral security
Myanmar is disrupting the Chinese supply of REEs
ESG
Water stress is a serious issue
Indigenous opposition can cause loss of social license
Critical Minerals Strategies by Region
North America
North America’s governments support critical minerals projects
Building a domestic supply chain through strategic trade measures
The US is investing in Africa
Central and South America
Europe
Domestic funding to support the critical minerals supply has increased
Foreign investments are needed because Europe is not self-sufficient
China
China is investing billions in Africa, South America, and Indonesia
China is tightening its grip on REEs
Asia (excluding China)
Policy frameworks targeted at critical minerals are gaining strength
Africa
Africa is a geopolitical battleground
Australia
Australia's ambitious critical mineral strategy
The Middle East
Companies
Glossary
Further Reading
GlobalData reports
Our Thematic Research Methodology
Report Authors
About GlobalData
Contact Us
List of Tables
Table 1: Critical Minerals Strategies by Region
Table 2: Companies
Table 3: Glossary
Table 4: Report Authors
List of Figures
Figure 1: Leading players in the critical minerals theme
Figure 2: In 2030, 88% of Brazil’s national energy mix will come from renewables
Figure 3: The most important countries in critical minerals production
Figure 4: The production of the most critical minerals is dominated by a few countries
Figure 5: BEV sales were more than double PHEV sales in 2025
Figure 6: Global solar PV installed capacity will breach the 8TW mark in 2035
Figure 7: Global wind power installed capacity will reach 3.1TW by 2035
Figure 8: By 2035, nuclear energy installed capacity will be 26% higher than in 2025
Figure 9: Key critical minerals used in AI and digital technologies
Figure 10: The four key risks facing the supply of critical minerals
Figure 11: Critical minerals are experiencing price volatility
Figure 12: The low recycling rate of critical minerals can exacerbate shortages
Figure 13: China will continue to dominate critical mineral refinement
Figure 14: Geographic production monopolies will remain relatively unchanged in 2030
Figure 15: Indonesia is the largest global nickel producer
Figure 16: Nickel exports and imports dynamics
Figure 17: Global graphite production is set to grow significantly between 2025 and 2030
Figure 18: Key milestones of the US-China trade war since 2018
Figure 19: Myanmar borders overview & Location of the REEs mining site in Kachin State
Figure 20: The mining of critical minerals is water-intensive
Figure 21: Copper and lithium mines are typically found in water-stressed regions
Figure 22: Canada has numerous REE projects
Figure 23: The Lobito Corridor project traverses Angola, the DRC, and Zambia
Figure 24: In 2025, Chile was the top producer and exporter of copper in the region
Figure 25: China plays a dominant role in the processing and refining of many critical minerals
Figure 26: The critical minerals potential in Africa is high
Figure 27: Australia is one of the most resource-rich nations globally
Figure 28: Our approach to identifying the companies most likely to succeed in a sector over the next five years

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