Critical Minerals Analysis Tools
Welcome to the Payne Institute/Colorado School of Mines Economics Department Critical Minerals Analysis Tools page. This site accesses interactive tools, built based on Mines’ proprietary data sets, to deepen understanding of the global supply/availability and demand outlook for individual critical minerals.
Minerals Reserves and Production Costs
Critical Minerals Demand from Power Model (Under Construction)
Other Critical Minerals Research
THE STATE OF CRITICAL MINERALS REPORT 2024
The Payne Institute for Public Policy and the Colorado School of Mines has released its second annual State of Critical Minerals Report. Building on last year’s report, which provided a comprehensive overview of the supply, demand, technical and political landscape for critical minerals globally, this year’s edition targets the U.S. federal response, while also examining dynamics that will impact the mining industry’s ability to meet the needs for critical minerals that are presented by the global energy transition. Highlights include the vast potential from mining tailings, the steep cost curve for Nickel, new legislation focused on increasing the domestic mining of critical minerals and the U.S. government’s recent $4.9 billion of investments in mining and processing. October 10, 2024.
Pentagon’s AI metals program goes private in bid to boost Western supply deals 5/2/2025
Pentagon’s AI metals program goes private in bid to boost Western supply deals
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how a U.S. government-created artificial intelligence program that aims to predict the supply and price of critical minerals has been transferred to the control of a non-profit organization that is helping miners and manufacturers strike supply deals. May 2, 2025.
Trump’s Brazen Push to Mine the Ocean Floor 4/28/2025
Trump’s Brazen Push to Mine the Ocean Floor
Payne Institute Fellow Alex Gilbert contributed to this article about how the U.S. leader could pave the way for a gold rush in international waters. U.S. President Donald Trump has officially jump-started U.S. efforts to mine the seafloor, pitching the United States into the center of a contentious debate that has sparked fears of a race to the bottom in the world’s last untouched frontier. April 28, 2025.
Can China hold the world to ransom over rare earths? 4/26/2025
Can China hold the world to ransom over rare earths?
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how China reportedly instructed South Korean companies to stop exporting defense-related products to the United States if they contained rare earth products from China. April 26, 2025.
Analysis on ASM Role in Indonesian Nickel Production 4/24/2025
Analysis on ASM Role in Indonesian Nickel Production
Payne Institute Student Researcher Matt Lee, Critical Minerals Program Manager Clarkson Kamurai, and Energy Finance Lab Program Director Brad Handler write about how Indonesia now dominates the global supply of nickel, an essential raw material for lithium-ion batteries and stainless steel. April 24, 2025.
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