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1. Uranium -

A highly concentrated, critical source of energy, uranium provides clean, scalable energy. Low-enriched uranium (3% to 5% U-235) fuels commercial nuclear reactors.

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Uranium mining -

In situ leach (ISL) mining now dominates how this metal is obtained from the Earth, making up 66% of production totals.

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Uranium: geopolitical impact -

It appears in nuclear weapons and naval reactors in its high-enriched form. Because of this, uranium has a profound geopolitical impact.

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Uranium production by country -

Kazakhstan is the world leader in uranium production, producing an astounding 21,227 tons of it in 2022 alone. It was followed by Canada (7,351 tons), Namibia (5,613 tons), and Australia (4,553 tons). These countries along with Russia, Uzbekistan, and Niger make up the bulk of the world's supply. 

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2. Lithium -

A soft, light metal, lithium is needed for rechargeable batteries in electronics, including phones, laptops, and electronic vehicles (EVs).

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"White gold" -

A relatively rare metal, it's been dubbed the "white gold" of the battery industry. As well as being indispensable to many technologies, it's also used in renewable energy storage systems.

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Lithium production -

Australia is the world leader in lithium production, churning out 61,000 tons in 2022. While Chile lagged behind Australia, producing 39,000 tons the same year, the country boasts the world's largest lithium reserves.

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Lithium production -

The next biggest players in the lithium supply chain (in order of production) are: China, Argentina, and Brazil. Zimbabwe and Portugal also contribute smaller amounts.

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Sustainability and the lithium mining rush -

The lithium mining rush is being driven by the huge demand for sustainable energy solutions, many of which function using high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

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3. Rare Earth Elements (REEs) -

Some elements found in minor quantities have major applications in clean energy, electronics, and computing. They're known as Rare Earth Elements (REEs).

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Mineable quantities of REEs -

However, the name is somewhat misleading, as these metals are relatively common. What makes them rare is that, despite their abundance, they are not frequently found in mineable quantities.

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China takes the lead in the mining of REEs -

China takes the global lead when it comes to the mining of REEs, producing 210,000 tons in 2022. For context, China's closest rivals in supply, the US and Australia, produce 43,000 and 18,000 tons respectively.

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High demand for REEs -

REEs are used in high-performance magnets, electronics, and electric vehicle batteries, driving the global demand for these metals.

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4. Cobalt -

Cobalt is essential in the powering of modern technology. It's needed for the electrification of mobility, notably electronic vehicles (EVs) which drives the biggest demand for this metal.

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Cobalt's industrial applications -

But it doesn't end there. The metal is critical for its use in various industrial applications, including the production of superalloys for aircraft engines, the manufacturing of cutting tools and drill bits, and the creation of pigments used in ceramics and glass.

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Cobalt and the DRC -

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) dominates the world's cobalt production, having produced a staggering 111.3 tons of the metal in 2022.

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Notable cobalt contributions -

Russia (8.9 tons), Australia (5.9 tons), the Philippines (5 tons), and Canada (5 tons) made significant contributions, however, it was nowhere close to the rate of cobalt produced by the DRC.

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5. Natural gas -

Although it's a fossil fuel, natural gas is much cleaner and more efficient than some others, producing less pollution and CO2 emissions.

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Natural gas production in the US -

The United States led worldwide contribution in 2022, producing 978.6 billion cubic meters of the resource. Extensive reserves are found across Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

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Natural gas reserves globally -

However, the world's largest natural gas reserves are found in Russia, the second largest producer (618.4 billion cubic meters), which promotes natural gas vehicles.

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Natural gas reserves globally -

The second largest natural gas reserves in the world are found in Iran. Qatar and Canada are also key producers of the resource worldwide.

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6. Copper -

Copper has long been one of the most important elements in the world, for the development of human civilization. This is due to its wonderful thermal and electrical conductivity.

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The third most used industrial metal -

Everything from our simplest electrical appliances to the most sophisticated electronics uses copper. It's the third most used industrial metal globally.

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Copper mining -

South America leads the way in copper mining. In 2021, Chile led global production with a staggering 5,624,900 metric tons, while Peru produced 2,299,277 metric tons.

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Electrical and telecommunications industries -

The DRC, China, and the US also help to meet the high demand for copper in the electrical and telecommunications industries.

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7. Nickel -

Nickel also plays a role in battery production for electric vehicles, as well as being a metal that's indispensable for the production of stainless steel.  

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The demand for nickel -

The demand for nickel over the coming years is expected to be in direct proportion to the demand for electric vehicles, as it's needed to create lithium-ion batteries.

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The demand for nickel -

Its ability to deliver high energy density (and greater storage capacity) at a lower cost than other metals is another factor contributing to forecasted increased demand. 

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Nickel -

Indonesia leads worldwide in the production of nickel, reaching an output of 1,000,000 tons in 2021. The Philippines, Russia, New Caledonia, and Australia are also notable producers of this metal. 

Sources: (World Population Review) (National Geographic) (Minerals Make Life)

See also: The fascinating future of sustainable transport

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