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.
Logistics Left of Boom: Understanding Adversary Threats to the Defense Industrial Base Ahead of Conflict 2/6/2026
Logistics Left of Boom: Understanding Adversary Threats to the Defense Industrial Base Ahead of Conflict
Macdonald Amoah, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Fellow Jahara Matisek write about how much of today’s military logistics debate focuses on what happens after production: moving equipment, munitions, and spare parts through contested domains once a crisis begins. But true logistics does not begin at the rail station, seaport, or airport; it begins months or years earlier in what might best be described as a prelogistics phase—in the mines, refineries, and factories that create military power in the first place. January 6, 2026.
What to know about the critical minerals trading bloc the U.S. wants to build with allies 2/5/2026
What to know about the critical minerals trading bloc the U.S. wants to build with allies
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how at a conference with allies in Washington, Vice President Vance said some countries have signed on to the critical minerals trading bloc. February 5, 2026.
U.S. to Create $12B Critical Minerals Stockpile 2/5/2026
U.S. to Create $12B Critical Minerals Stockpile
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how the Trump administration unveiled Project Vault this week, the latest move to lessen the USA’s reliance on China for critical minerals used in technology and the aerospace and defense sectors. February 5, 2026.
US creates stockpile for critical minerals to protect manufacturers from China’s dominance 2/3/2026
US creates stockpile for critical minerals to protect manufacturers from China’s dominance
Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how the U.S. is creating a domestic stockpile of critical minerals in the Trump administration’s latest move to reduce the country’s reliance on China for key materials and components of technology used in cellphones, military equipment and renewable energy. February 3, 2026.
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