The 2025 Critical Minerals List is the most comprehensive critical minerals designation in US history. Published by the US Department of the Interior through the US Geological Survey (USGS) on November 7, 2025, the final list identifies 60 minerals that are essential to the US economy and national security and face supply chains vulnerable to disruption [1]. The list expands significantly from the 2022 Critical Minerals List, which included 50 minerals, by adding 10 new commodities based on updated economic modeling, interagency recommendations, and public comment [2].
The 2025 list guides federal strategy, investment, and permitting decisions across multiple agencies. Minerals on the list qualify for accelerated permitting under FAST-41, tax incentives for domestic processing, Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funding, and stockpiling under the recently announced Project Vault critical minerals reserve [3]. For the exploration, mining, and processing sectors, the list defines which commodities receive the full suite of federal policy support for domestic supply chain development.
This page is a reference guide to the complete 2025 list, the methodology behind it, the policy framework it activates, and what it means for US mineral security.
The 2025 Critical Minerals List contains 60 minerals. All 50 minerals from the 2022 list were retained, and 10 new minerals were added. The complete list, in alphabetical order, is as follows [1]:
Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barite, Beryllium, Bismuth, Boron, Cerium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Dysprosium, Erbium, Europium, Fluorspar, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Holmium, Indium, Iridium, Lanthanum, Lead, Lithium, Lutetium, Magnesium, Manganese, Metallurgical Coal, Neodymium, Nickel, Niobium, Palladium, Phosphate, Platinum, Potash, Praseodymium, Rhenium, Rhodium, Rubidium, Ruthenium, Samarium, Scandium, Silicon, Silver, Tantalum, Tellurium, Terbium, Thulium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Uranium, Vanadium, Ytterbium, Yttrium, Zinc, Zirconium.
Of these 60 minerals, 15 are rare earth elements: cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium [4].
Ten minerals were added to the 2025 Critical Minerals List compared to the 2022 list. They arrived through two pathways: six were recommended by the USGS based on its updated economic modeling, and four were added through interagency recommendations and public comment [2][5].
Added based on USGS economic assessment: Copper, Lead, Potash, Rhenium, Silicon, and Silver. These six minerals met the USGS threshold for inclusion after the updated methodology identified them as posing meaningful economic risk if their supply chains were disrupted [5].
Added based on interagency and public input: Arsenic, Boron, Metallurgical Coal, Phosphate, Tellurium, and Uranium. Of these, arsenic and tellurium had been on the 2022 list. The USGS 2025 methodology initially recommended removing them, but the Department of War (the secondary designation for the Department of Defense under Executive Order 14347) advocated for their retention due to importance in military applications [2]. The Department of Energy recommended adding metallurgical coal and uranium based on their roles in steel production, energy generation, and national security [5]. The Department of Agriculture recommended adding phosphate for food security [2]. Boron was added after public comments highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly Chinese market control over ferroboron production [5].
The Energy Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-260, Section 7002) established the legal definition of a critical mineral and requires the USGS to review and update the list at least every three years [6]. Under the statute, a critical mineral is one that is essential to US economic or national security, has a supply chain vulnerable to disruption, and serves an essential function in the manufacturing of products spanning energy, defense, currency, agriculture, consumer electronics, and healthcare [6].
For the 2025 list, the USGS substantially updated its methodology. The new approach uses an economic model that quantifies the potential effects of foreign trade disruptions on US gross domestic product (GDP). The model evaluated over 1,200 supply disruption scenarios across 84 mineral commodities, using 2023 trade and production data [7]. Each scenario simulated the complete restriction of US net imports from a given trading partner for a full year, then estimated the resulting decrease in US GDP.
A mineral qualified for inclusion if the annualized probability-weighted net decrease in US GDP exceeded $2 million [7]. Zirconium was included based on a second criterion: a single point of failure within its domestic supply chain. Cesium, rubidium, and scandium were retained based on qualitative assessment because insufficient data existed to apply the quantitative model [2].
This is a meaningful evolution from prior lists. The 2018 list (the first under Executive Order 13817) used a qualitative screening approach. The 2022 update introduced a risk-modeling framework but relied on data from 2015 to 2018. The 2025 methodology provides a more direct economic measure that allows policymakers to compare mineral supply risk against other national economic priorities [7].
US import reliance on critical minerals remains high, and in several cases the country is entirely dependent on foreign sources. According to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025, the US was 100% net import reliant on at least 15 nonfuel mineral commodities in 2024 [8]. These include tantalum, gallium, rubidium, cesium, scandium, manganese, niobium, yttrium, fluorspar, and indium, among others.
For several minerals on the 2025 Critical Minerals List, China is the dominant or sole supplier. The USGS reports that China was a major import source for 14 of the 33 critical minerals where the US is most import dependent [9]. In the case of gallium, the US is 100% net import reliant, with China historically supplying approximately 19% of US consumption directly and controlling a far larger share of global refining [10]. For tantalum, the US is 100% net import reliant, with an estimated 22% of consumption met by imports from China [10]. For rare earth compounds and metals, the US is approximately 80% net import reliant, with about 56% of consumption sourced from China [10].
The concentration of supply creates tangible risk. China imposed export controls or outright bans on gallium, germanium, antimony, graphite, tungsten, and multiple rare earth elements between 2023 and 2025 [11]. While some of these restrictions were temporarily suspended in late 2025 following diplomatic engagement, the legal frameworks remain in place and could be reinstated [12].
Tin is another mineral with significant import exposure. The US has not mined tin domestically since 1993, and has not smelted tin since 1989. US net import reliance for refined tin was 73% in 2024, with primary import sources including Peru (30%), Bolivia (23%), Indonesia (20%), and Brazil (11%) [8]. In September 2024, the Department of Defense awarded $19 million under DPA Title III to support a tin smelter in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, the first DPA-funded investment in domestic tin processing [13].
Inclusion on the Critical Minerals List is not symbolic. It triggers eligibility for a suite of federal programs, incentives, and regulatory pathways designed to strengthen domestic supply chains.
Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III: The DPA authorizes the President to provide financial support, including loans, loan guarantees, and purchase commitments, to expand domestic production capacity for materials deemed critical to national defense. Critical mineral producers and processors become eligible for Title III investment upon listing [13].
FAST-41 Permitting: The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council oversees the FAST-41 process, which provides coordinated, transparent, and predictable federal environmental review and permitting for large infrastructure projects, including mines. Critical mineral projects are eligible for FAST-41 designation, which establishes a permitting timetable and dashboard for tracking review progress [14].
DOE Critical Minerals and Materials Program: The Department of Energy operates research, development, demonstration, and commercialization programs focused on critical materials under Section 7002 of the Energy Act of 2020. The program covers alternatives, recycling, and efficient production of critical minerals [6].
EXIM Bank Project Vault and Finance Programs: The Export-Import Bank of the United States maintains programs to support the development and processing of critical minerals, including the Make More in America initiative and Project Vault, which focuses on building a strategic reserve of rare earths, lithium, nickel, and similar metals [15].
Tax Incentives: Section 45X of the Inflation Reduction Act provides production tax credits for domestic processing of certain critical minerals. Inclusion on the USGS list informs eligibility for these and related incentives.
Stockpiling: The National Defense Stockpile, managed by the Defense Logistics Agency, acquires and maintains reserves of strategic materials. The 2025 list informs stockpiling priorities.
The US critical minerals designation process has evolved across three iterations:
2018 List (35 minerals): The first list was published under Executive Order 13817, issued by President Trump in 2017, which directed the Department of the Interior to identify minerals critical to US economic and national security. The 2018 list included 35 minerals and was the first formal federal critical minerals designation [6].
2022 List (50 minerals): The second list was published pursuant to the Energy Act of 2020. It expanded the list to 50 minerals, adding nickel, zinc, and all individual rare earth elements (which had previously been listed as a single group). It also removed helium and potash from the 2018 list. The 2022 methodology used a risk-modeling framework with trade data from 2015 to 2018 [2].
2025 List (60 minerals): The current list is the most expansive and methodologically rigorous. It retains all 50 minerals from 2022 and adds 10, including several high-volume industrial minerals (copper, lead, silicon, potash) and strategically significant commodities (uranium, metallurgical coal). The 2025 methodology uses 2023 data and an economic displacement model evaluating over 1,200 disruption scenarios [7].
The trajectory is clear: the list grows as both the analytical tools and the geopolitical environment sharpen the understanding of supply chain risk. The Energy Act of 2020 requires the list to be updated at least every three years, and the 2025 Federal Register notice states the USGS intends to move to at least biannual updates going forward [1].
The USGS methodology assigns each mineral a probability-weighted estimate of economic impact from supply disruption. The 2025 analysis identified several minerals as carrying particularly high risk based on the combination of import dependence, production concentration, and downstream economic exposure [7].
The minerals identified as having the highest risk include rhodium, gallium, germanium, tungsten, niobium, magnesium metal, potash, and several rare earth elements (samarium, lutetium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, and yttrium) [2]. In many of these cases, a single country (often China) controls a dominant share of global production or refining, and the downstream industries they supply contribute significantly to US GDP.
Rhodium stands out as a particularly concentrated risk, given its critical role in automotive catalytic converters and the near-total concentration of production in South Africa. Among the rare earths, terbium and dysprosium are essential for high-strength permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines, and China controls the majority of refining capacity for both.
Critical minerals underpin sectors that define national competitiveness and military readiness. The connections span every major technology sector.
Defense: Antimony is used in armor-piercing ammunition, night vision goggles, and infrared sensors. Tungsten is essential for kinetic energy penetrators, missile components, and cutting tools. Rare earth permanent magnets (using neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium) are required in precision-guided munitions, fighter jet components, and satellite systems. Beryllium is used in aerospace structures and nuclear weapons. Gallium and germanium are inputs for semiconductors, fiber optics, and military communications equipment.
Energy and Electrification: Lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and graphite are core battery materials for electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. Copper is fundamental to electrical wiring, motors, and renewable energy infrastructure. Silicon is essential for solar photovoltaic cells. Uranium fuels the US nuclear fleet, which provides approximately 19% of national electricity generation.
Technology and Manufacturing: Platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium) serve as catalysts in chemical processing, petroleum refining, and automotive emission control. Tin is used in soldering for electronics, tin plate for food packaging, and as a component in advanced alloys. Tantalum is essential for capacitors in smartphones, medical devices, and aerospace electronics. Indium is used in flat panel displays and touchscreens.
Lithium, tin, and tantalum have appeared on every US Critical Minerals List since the original 2018 designation, and all three remain on the 2025 list. Each carries a distinct supply chain profile that underscores why they continue to qualify.
Lithium is essential for rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, and portable electronics. Global demand has surged alongside the energy transition, and while domestic production exists (primarily in Nevada), the US remains a net importer. World lithium production rose 31% in 2025, with consumption growing by 20%, according to the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 [15]. The concentration of lithium refining capacity in China and the rapid growth in demand place lithium squarely within the 2025 list’s economic disruption framework.
Tin is one of the most import-exposed minerals on the list. The US has not mined tin domestically since 1993 and has not smelted tin since 1989. US net import reliance for refined tin was 73% in 2024, with primary sources including Peru (30%), Bolivia (23%), Indonesia (20%), and Brazil (11%) [8]. Tin is used in soldering for electronics, tin plate for food-grade packaging, and as a component in advanced alloys. In September 2024, the Department of Defense awarded $19 million under DPA Title III to support a tin smelter in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. [13]. Despite this, the US has no active tin mines and very few exploration programs targeting the commodity.
Tantalum stands at the extreme end of import reliance: 100% net import reliant, with no domestic mine production since 1959. Tantalum is essential for capacitors in smartphones, medical devices, and aerospace electronics such as military aircraft and drones, and it serves in superalloys and chemical processing equipment. An estimated 22% of US tantalum consumption is met by imports from China, with the balance sourced from a small number of producing countries [10]. Tantalum’s combination of total import dependence, concentrated global production, and critical end-use applications in defense and technology makes it one of the highest-risk commodities on the 2025 list.
For exploration and mining companies operating in the US, the expanded 2025 Critical Minerals List reinforces the policy and economic case for domestic mineral development. Projects targeting listed minerals are eligible for accelerated permitting, federal financing, tax incentives, and strategic procurement. The practical effect is a federal policy environment that increasingly favors the permitting and financing of domestic critical mineral projects.
South Dakota’s Black Hills region provides one example of how the list intersects with active exploration. The district hosts confirmed occurrences of multiple minerals on the 2025 list, including lithium, tin, and tantalum, within the historic Tinton Pegmatite District. Lion Rock Resources (TSXV: ROAR, OTCQB: LRRIF, FSE: KGB) is advancing the Volney Project in this district, where Phase 1 drilling in early 2026 returned multi-commodity results across lithium, tin, tantalum, and gold [16]. The project sits on private land in a mining-friendly jurisdiction and represents one of the few active US exploration programs targeting tin and tantalum, two commodities for which the US is heavily or entirely import reliant [8].
The broader point extends well beyond any single project. The 2025 list signals that the federal government views mineral supply chain vulnerability as a quantifiable economic risk, and is prepared to direct resources toward reducing that risk through domestic production, allied-nation partnerships, and strategic reserves.
This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, a solicitation, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Information about Lion Rock Resources (TSXV: ROAR, OTCQB: LRRIF, FSE: KGB) is based on publicly filed disclosures and news releases. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Mineral exploration involves significant risk. There is no assurance that exploration activities will result in the discovery of an economic mineral deposit.
Forward-looking statements: This page contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Lion Rock Resources assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by law.
[1] US Geological Survey. “Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals.” Federal Register, November 7, 2025. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/07/2025-19813/final-2025-list-of-critical-minerals
[2] US Geological Survey. “About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals.” November 6, 2025. https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/about-2025-list-critical-minerals
[3] US Geological Survey. “Value of US Mineral Production Rose Last Year, Driven by Precious Metals Prices.” February 6, 2026. https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/value-us-mineral-production-rose-last-year-driven-precious-metals-prices
[4] US Geological Survey. “2025 List of Critical Minerals.” November 6, 2025. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/2025-list-critical-minerals
[5] Congressional Research Service. “US Geological Survey’s Critical Minerals List.” IF13145, January 7, 2026. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13145
[6] Energy Act of 2020, P.L. 116-260, Section 7002 (“Mineral Security”). Codified at 30 USC 1606. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:30+section:1606+edition:prelim)
[7] Nassar, N.T., et al. “Methodology and Technical Input for the 2025 US List of Critical Minerals.” USGS Open-File Report 2025-1047. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20251047
[8] US Geological Survey. Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 (ver. 1.2, March 2025). https://doi.org/10.3133/mcs2025
[9] US Geological Survey. “Value of US Mineral Production Rose Last Year, Driven by Precious Metals Prices.” February 6, 2026. https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/value-us-mineral-production-rose-last-year-driven-precious-metals-prices
[10] US Geological Survey. “Minerals with Net Import Reliance on China.” March 14, 2025. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/minerals-net-import-reliance-china
[11] Center for Strategic and International Studies. “China Imposes Its Most Stringent Critical Minerals Export Restrictions Yet.” December 2024. https://www.csis.org/analysis/china-imposes-its-most-stringent-critical-minerals-export-restrictions-yet-amidst
[12] Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. “China Suspends Export Controls on Certain Critical Minerals and Related Items.” 2025. https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/news-and-insights/china-suspends-export-controls-certain-critical-minerals-related-items.html
[13] US Department of Defense. Defense Production Act Title III investments. Referenced via USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025, Tin chapter.
[14] Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. FAST-41 Program. https://www.permits.performance.gov/
[15] US Geological Survey. Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. February 6, 2026. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/mcs2026
[16] Lion Rock Resources Inc. News releases: February 26, 2026 (Phase 1 lithium, tin, tantalum results); April 8, 2026 (gold discovery). Filed on SEDAR+ and available at https://www.lionrockresources.com/
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