Critical materials
The U.S. tracks supply-chain-critical materials through three independent processes: the USGS for economic / national-security risk, the DOE for clean-energy transition, and the DLA for defense stockpile shortfalls. Each list uses different methodology and serves a different policy question. All three are summarized below.
USGS 2025 — 60 minerals
Quantitative supply-risk scoring across 1,200+ simulated disruption scenarios (USGS Open-File Report 2025-1047). Minerals included if they exceed risk thresholds for the U.S. economy or national security.
60 minerals · published 2025-11-06 · refreshed every 2 years. USGS announcement · OFR-2025-1047 methodology
DOE 2023 — Electric Eighteen
Assessment focused on materials critical to clean-energy technologies. Materials grouped into short-term (2020–2025) and medium-term (2025–2035) criticality tiers based on supply risk + importance to energy transition.
18 materials across two tiers · short-term and medium-term criticality. DOE Critical Materials Assessment
DLA National Defense Stockpile
Stockpile of materials acquired by DOD against wartime supply disruption. The Annual Materials Plan (AMP) governs acquisition and disposal targets. Shortfall categories driven by DOD's biennial Strategic and Critical Materials Report.
61 materials in the stockpile · FY2025 Annual Materials Plan. DLA Strategic Materials · GAO-24-106959