Critical Minerals and the Clean Energy Transition
Critical minerals are raw materials essential for clean energy technologies (EV batteries, wind turbines, solar panels) and defence/high-tech manufacturing. Their supply chains are geographically concentrated — China dominates processing of most critical minerals globally, including 60% of lithium and 85% of rare earth processing.
- Lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese: key for EV batteries (Li-ion cells).
- REEs (neodymium, dysprosium): essential for permanent magnets in EV motors and wind turbines.
- India has significant reserves of ilmenite, monazite (thorium + REE), titanium, and graphite.
- Andhra Pradesh holds ~25% of India's beach sand mineral resources (ilmenite, rutile, zircon, monazite).
- China's dominance in processing is seen as a strategic vulnerability; the US, EU, Australia, and India are all building domestic processing capacity.
● Tracked since April 11, 2026 · last seen July 01, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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