Critical minerals lists for low-carbon transitions: Reviewing their structure, objectives, and limitations

Payne Institute Faculty Fellows Raphael Deberdt and Nicole Smith, student researcher Jordy Calderon, and Scott McCall write about how critical minerals lists have flourished in the past decade, in particular linked to the importance of critical minerals for low-carbon transitions. We identified 27 critical minerals or materials lists across 15 countries and the European Union (EU).  July 30, 2025.