USGS Seeks Public Comment on Draft List of 50 Critical Minerals

Erbium, used in fiber optics, optical amplifiers, lasers, and glass colorants 

Europium, used in phosphors and nuclear control rods 

Fluorspar, used in the manufacture of aluminum, cement, steel, gasoline, and fluorine chemicals 

Gadolinium, used in medical imaging, permanent magnets, and steelmaking  

Gallium, used for integrated circuits and optical devices like LEDs 

Germanium, used for fiber optics and night vision applications 

Graphite , used for lubricants, batteries, and fuel cells 

Hafnium, used for nuclear control rods, alloys, and high-temperature ceramics 

Holmium, used in permanent magnets, nuclear control rods, and lasers 

Indium, used in liquid crystal display screens 

Iridium, used as coating of anodes for electrochemical processes and as a chemical catalyst 

Lanthanum, used to produce catalysts, ceramics, glass, polishing compounds, metallurgy, and batteries 

Lithium, used for rechargeable batteries 

Lutetium, used in scintillators for medical imaging, electronics, and some cancer therapies 

Magnesium, used as an alloy and for reducing metals 

Manganese, used in steelmaking and batteries 

Neodymium, used in permanent magnets, rubber catalysts, and in medical and industrial lasers 

Nickel, used to make stainless steel, superalloys, and rechargeable batteries  

Niobium, used mostly in steel and superalloys 

Palladium, used in catalytic converters and as a catalyst agent  

Platinum, used in catalytic converters 

Praseodymium, used in permanent magnets, batteries, aerospace alloys, ceramics, and colorants  

Rhodium, used in catalytic converters, electrical components, and as a catalyst  

Rubidium, used for research and development in electronics 

Ruthenium, used as catalysts, as well as electrical contacts and chip resistors in computers 

Samarium, used in permanent magnets, as an absorber in nuclear reactors, and in cancer treatments 

Scandium, used for alloys, ceramics, and fuel cells 

Tantalum, used in electronic components, mostly capacitors and in superalloys 

Tellurium, used in solar cells, thermoelectric devices, and as alloying additive  

Terbium, used in permanent magnets, fiber optics, lasers, and solid-state devices  

Thulium, used in various metal alloys and in lasers 

Tin, used as protective coatings and alloys for steel 

Titanium, used as a white pigment or metal alloys 

Tungsten, primarily used to make wear-resistant metals 

Vanadium, primarily used as alloying agent for iron and steel 

Ytterbium, used for catalysts, scintillometers, lasers, and metallurgy 

Yttrium, used for ceramic, catalysts, lasers, metallurgy, and phosphors 

Zinc, primarily used in metallurgy to produce galvanized steel 

Zirconium, used in the high-temperature ceramics and corrosion-resistant alloys. 

USGS notes the following:

Dates: To ensure consideration, written comments will be accepted starting 9 November 2021, and must be submitted before 9 December 2021.  

Addresses: Written comments may be submitted: 

·  Online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2021-24488” in the Search bar and clicking “Search”

·  Or by mail to Draft List of Critical Minerals, MS-102, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Dr, Reston, VA 20192. 

For more information, contact: James Mosley, (703) 648-6312, jmosley@usgs.gov.