strata memo

The Strata Memo

Critical minerals policy tracker

This week: 4 new policy or funding items in the last 7 days; 6 funding calls open, the next closing Nov 20: Unlocking New Levels of Output and Capacity for Key Subsurface.... We also list 208 federal awards already made. See everything

Which critical minerals does the U.S. depend on, and what is Washington doing about it?

Sixty minerals from the USGS 2025 critical minerals list, shaded by how much of U.S. use is imported. A blue number counts policy and funding items we are tracking for that mineral (federal awards are listed on each fact sheet and in the feed). Click a tile for its fact sheet.

Net import reliance 2025 (click to highlight):
Rare earths
58CeCeriumgroup 67%Cerium66DyDysprosiumgroup 67%Dysprosium68ErErbiumgroup 67%Erbium63EuEuropiumgroup 67%Europium64GdGadoliniumgroup 67%Gadolinium67HoHolmiumgroup 67%Holmium57LaLanthanumgroup 67%Lanthanum71LuLutetiumgroup 67%Lutetium60NdNeodymiumgroup 67%Neodymium59PrPraseodymiumgroup 67%Praseodymium62SmSamariumgroup 67%Samarium21ScScandium100%Scandium65TbTerbiumgroup 67%Terbium69TmThuliumgroup 67%Thulium70YbYtterbiumgroup 67%Ytterbium39YYttrium100%Yttrium
Battery and energy
127CoCobalt79%Cobalt146CGraphite100%Graphite53LiLithiumover 50%Lithium225MnManganese100%Manganese1CoalMetallurgical coalno figureMetallurgical coal28NiNickel41%Nickel392UUranium99%†Uranium23VVanadium41%Vanadium
Structural and base metals
913AlAluminum60%Aluminum724CrChromium79%Chromium529CuCopper57%Copper72HfHafniumno figureHafnium82PbLead33%Lead212MgMagnesiumover 75%Magnesium41NbNiobium100%Niobium3414SiSiliconunder 50%Silicon73TaTantalum100%Tantalum50SnTin77%Tin122TiTitanium88%Titanium774WTungstenover 50%Tungsten30ZnZincnet exporterZinc40ZrZirconiumunder 25%Zirconium
Platinum group
77IrIridiumno figureIridium1146PdPalladium57%Palladium78PtPlatinum89%Platinum45RhRhodiumno figureRhodium44RuRutheniumno figureRuthenium
Electronics and specialty
151SbAntimony91%Antimony33AsArsenic100%Arsenic4BeBerylliumnet exporterBeryllium83BiBismuth92%Bismuth55CsCesium100%Cesium31GaGallium100%Gallium32GeGermaniumover 50%Germanium49InIndium100%Indium75ReRhenium75%Rhenium37RbRubidium100%†Rubidium52TeTelluriumover 25%Tellurium
Industrial minerals
BaSO₄Bariteover 75%Barite5BBoronnet exporterBoronCaF₂Fluorspar100%Fluorspar6Ca₅(PO₄)₃FPhosphate16%PhosphateK saltsPotash92%Potash47AgSilver77%Silver

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: net import reliance by commodity (February 2026)