Osmium’s classification as a critical raw material by the United States in 2022 and inclusion in the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act IEAUSGS reflects growing recognition of its strategic importance. The…
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Interesting Facts About Palladium: A Critical Raw Material
The economic implications of palladium’s criticality are profound. When supply disruptions occur, entire automotive production lines can halt – as seen during 2020 when semiconductor shortages combined with PGM supply issues to…
Interesting Facts About Rhodium: A Critical Raw Material
Rhodium stands out as one of the most critical raw materials globally due to an exceptional combination of factors: extreme supply concentration, irreplaceable industrial applications, unprecedented price volatility, and severe supply chain…
Interesting Facts About Ruthenium: A Critical Raw Material
Ruthenium represents a perfect storm of criticality: extreme geographic concentration in politically and economically volatile regions, complete dependence on byproduct recovery, irreplaceable industrial applications, no viable substitutes, limited recycling potential, and a…
Interesting Facts About Phosphate Rock: A Critical Raw Material
Phosphorus is an essential element for plant and animal nutrition. Most phosphorus is consumed as a principal component of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers used on food crops throughout the world. Phosphate rock minerals are…
Interesting Facts About Rubidium: A Critical Raw Material
Rubidium, considered a specialty metal, was discovered in 1861 but had extremely limited industrial use until the 1920s. Small quantities of rubidium-containing minerals were mined in the United States prior to the…
Interesting Facts About Silicon: A Critical Raw Material
Silicon (Si) is a light chemical element that combines with oxygen and other elements to form silicates. Silicon in the form of silicates constitutes more than 25% of the Earth’s crust. Silica…
Interesting Facts About Strontium: A Critical Raw Material
Strontium commonly occurs in nature, averaging 0.034% of all igneous rock; only two minerals, celestite (strontium sulfate) and strontianite (strontium carbonate), however, contain strontium in sufficient quantities to make its recovery practical….
Interesting Facts About Tantalum: A Critical Raw Material
Tantalum (Ta) is ductile, easily fabricated, highly resistant to corrosion by acids, and a good conductor of heat and electricity and has a high melting point. The major use for tantalum,…
Interesting Facts About Boron: A Critical Raw Material
Strategic and economic factors have elevated boron’s importance in recent years. The U.S. Department of Defense’s $49.6 million investment under the Defense Production Act to boost domestic boron carbide production underscores its…