Ten minerals without which all the world's technologies would stop

The article lists ten critically important minerals without which, according to the authors, the development of modern technologies is impossible. Among them are copper, lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements, gallium, germanium, tungsten, and tantalum. The main risk to the global economy is the loss of access to one of the irreplaceable components.

The article on the Kursor portal presents an overview of ten minerals that, according to the authors, are critically important for the functioning and development of modern technologies. The list includes copper, lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements (neodymium and dysprosium), gallium, germanium, tungsten, and tantalum. For each mineral, its role is briefly described: copper for electricity transmission, lithium for batteries, graphite for battery anodes, cobalt for battery stability, nickel for energy density, rare earth elements for magnets, gallium for semiconductors, germanium for optics, tungsten for heat-resistant alloys, and tantalum for capacitors. The main thesis of the article is that the threat to the global economy lies not in a shortage of all resources at once, but in the possible loss of access to one irreplaceable component. Technological superiority, according to the authors, is determined by control over the entire supply chain. The article references material from Interesting Engineering.

Ten minerals without which all the world's technologies would stop