The Department of the Interior released its 2025 draft critical minerals list last month, which expands the list from 50 minerals to 54.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s critical minerals list is intended to identify minerals that are “essential to the economic or national security of the United States,” that have supply chains “vulnerable to disruption” and are a vital component in a key product whose absence would have significant consequences. The U.S. prioritizes domestic production of critical minerals on the list, including through “direct investments, tax incentives for U.S. mineral processing, and streamlined mining permits.” The USGS also prioritizes mapping efforts for these minerals.
The new minerals recommended for inclusion based on the USGS analysis are potash, silicon, copper, silver, rhenium, and lead. Potash, which are mined and manufactured salts containing water-soluble potassium, was recommended because about 90 percent of U.S. net imports were obtained from Canada in 2023.
The analysis recommends removing arsenic and tellurium, the latter because the U.S. became a net exporter in 2023 after Rio Tinto began recovering copper telluride from a mine in Utah in 2022.
The Department of Energy has long considered copper as one of its “critical materials,” for energy production. Reconciling the two lists is a natural step to ensure that copper mining has access to the same domestic production incentives that are only granted to items on the DOI list. The USGS included copper because, while the U.S. is a net exporter of copper ore, the U.S. is dependent on refined copper for products.
The comment period on the new critical minerals list ends on September 25, 2025. The USGS is specifically soliciting comments on the inclusion of metallurgical coal and uranium, as executive orders required USGS consider adding both minerals.