Strategic minerals, as the name suggests, are a group of resources that hold immense strategic significance for a nation. Earlier, the U.S. Department of the Interior released a list identifying 35 minerals deemed critical to America’s economy and national security—the Final List of Critical Minerals 2018. These 35 strategic minerals encompass nearly all economically vital materials, including industrial metals like aluminum, platinum-group metals used in catalyst production, rare earth elements essential for electronics, and metals such as tin and titanium, which are crucial for alloy manufacturing, among others.

What are China’s strategic minerals? Previously, the Ministry of Land and Resources released the National Mineral Resources Plan (2016–2020), which emphasized strengthening the macro-management of mineral resources and establishing a strategic mineral catalog. This catalog includes 24 types of mineral resources designated as strategic. Among them, energy minerals comprise petroleum, natural gas, shale gas, coal, and coalbed methane; while metallic minerals include iron, chromium, copper, aluminum, gold, nickel, tungsten, tin, molybdenum, antimony, cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements, and zircon. Non-metallic minerals listed are phosphorus, potash salts, crystalline graphite, and fluorite. So, what are the similarities and differences between the United States' "Critical Minerals List" and our country's strategic minerals?

Due to varying national conditions, the definition of strategic mineral resources also differs across countries. Strategic minerals hold immense significance for a nation’s science and technology, economy, military, and even national defense. However, the scarcity of these strategic mineral resources necessitates careful consideration of supply risks and substitution challenges—both of which will inevitably become key factors influencing how strategic minerals are categorized. China’s recently released "Strategic Mineral List" was also formulated with these considerations in mind. Some of China’s strategic mineral resources are relatively scarce, requiring imports from other countries; yet others boast abundant reserves. For instance, Dayu in Jiangxi is famously known as the "Tungsten Capital," Gejiu in Yunnan is dubbed the "Tin Capital," and Lanping in Yunnan is referred to as the "Zinc Capital." These regions’ rich reserves of strategic minerals have undeniably supported China’s robust economic growth. Meanwhile, the "critical minerals" identified by the United States are non-fuel minerals or mineral materials that play an indispensable role in the U.S. economy and national security. Their supply chains are particularly vulnerable to disruption, and their applications are essential for manufacturing critical products. A shortage of these minerals could severely impact either the U.S. economy or its national security. According to data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the country relies heavily on imports for 31 of the minerals listed as critical.

So, what exactly are the uses of these mineral resources?

01 Uranium

Uranium ore can be extracted to produce uranium for the nuclear industry, including both military applications (nuclear weapons) and civilian uses (nuclear power plants). Additionally, radium and other rare earth elements can also be derived from it. The fuel source for nuclear power plants, uranium-235, is a naturally occurring radioactive element that has existed since the Earth's formation. It is mined and processed from uranium ore and currently serves as the primary fuel powering today’s nuclear power plants.
 

02 Chromium

In the metallurgical industry, chromite is primarily used to produce ferrochrome alloys and metallic chromium. Ferrochrome alloys serve as essential additives in steelmaking, enabling the production of various high-strength, corrosion-resistant, wear-resistant, high-temperature-resistant, and oxidation-resistant special steels. Meanwhile, metallic chromium is mainly employed in the smelting of specialized alloys alongside elements such as cobalt, nickel, and tungsten. These advanced steels and alloys are indispensable materials for manufacturing firearms, missiles, rockets, naval vessels, and other critical components in industries like aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, and national defense. In the field of refractory materials, chromite is widely utilized to create chrome bricks, chromomagnesia bricks, and other specialized fire-resistant products. Additionally, in the chemical industry, chromite is a key raw material for producing sodium dichromate, which in turn serves as a crucial precursor for synthesizing various other chromium compounds. These compounds find extensive applications across industries such as pigments, textiles, electroplating, and leather tanning, while also playing vital roles as catalysts and catalytic agents in industrial processes.

03 Aluminum (Bauxite)

Bauxite is the best raw material for producing metallic aluminum and also represents its primary application area, accounting for more than 90% of the world's total bauxite production. Non-metallic uses of bauxite mainly include serving as a refractory material, abrasive, raw material for chemical products, and a key ingredient in high-alumina cement. Although the share of bauxite used in non-metallic applications is relatively small, its range of uses is remarkably diverse.

04 Cobalt

The physical and chemical properties of cobalt make it an essential raw material for producing heat-resistant alloys, cemented carbides, corrosion-resistant alloys, magnetic alloys, and various cobalt salts. Cobalt-based alloys or cobalt-containing alloy steels are widely used in gas turbine blades, impellers, nozzles, jet engines, rocket engines, missile components, and other high-load, heat-resistant parts found in chemical equipment—as well as serving as critical metallic materials in the nuclear energy industry. In the chemical industry, in addition to their applications in high-temperature and corrosion-resistant alloys, cobalt is also utilized in colored glass, pigments, enamels, catalysts, and drying agents. Moreover, cobalt is a vital component of permanent magnetic alloys.

05 Tungsten

Tungsten is a high-melting-point, rare metal—or refractory rare metal—widely used in the fields of metallurgy and metallic materials. Tungsten and its alloys are among the most critical functional materials in modern industry, national defense, and advanced technology applications, finding extensive use in aerospace, atomic energy, shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, electrical engineering, electronics, chemical processing, and numerous other sectors. In particular, tungsten-containing high-temperature alloys are primarily employed in components for gas turbines, rockets, missiles, and nuclear reactors, while high-density tungsten-based alloys are utilized in armor-piercing warheads designed to penetrate tanks and submarines.

06 Antimony

60% of antimony is used to produce flame retardants, while 20% is utilized in manufacturing alloy materials for batteries, as well as in sliding bearings and soldering agents. The primary application of antimony lies in its oxide—antimony trioxide—which is widely employed in the production of fire-resistant materials. Additionally, antimony can form versatile alloys with lead, significantly enhancing both the hardness and mechanical strength of these alloys compared to pure lead.

07 Lithium

Lithium is an essential energy metal, and its applications in high-energy lithium batteries and controlled thermonuclear reactions have made it a crucial raw material for addressing humanity's long-term energy needs. In the 1950s, the rapid development of the lithium industry was spurred by the need to extract the fusion-isotope ⁶Li for hydrogen bomb production, turning lithium into a key ingredient in the manufacturing of hydrogen bombs, neutron bombs, and proton bombs. Moreover, lithium compounds are widely used across various industries, including glass and ceramics, aluminum refining, lithium-based lubricants, as well as in air conditioning, pharmaceuticals, and organic synthesis. Lithium-based products are extensively employed in sectors such as metallurgy, refrigeration, nuclear energy, aerospace, and in the production of ceramics, glass, lubricants, rubber, welding materials, pharmaceuticals, and batteries.

08 Zirconium

Zirconium ore resources are among the rare metal mineral resources. Zirconium ores are classified into two main categories based on their primary applications: metallic zirconium and industrial-grade zirconium. Among these, nuclear-grade metallic zirconium sits at the very top of the zirconium industry chain. It is primarily used in industries related to nuclear weapons and nuclear equipment, with nuclear applications accounting for approximately 90% of metallic zirconium consumption. Meanwhile, its applications in industrial and civilian sectors make up only a small portion of the total demand for metallic zirconium. Metallic zirconium and its alloy products represent the highest end of the entire zirconium ore value chain.

09 Tin

Tin is primarily used in the metallurgical industry for producing tinplate (tin-coated steel) and various alloys. Tinplate accounts for about 40% of total tin consumption, serving as a key application area. It is widely employed in food and beverage containers, diverse packaging materials, household items, and even dry-cell battery casings. In the chemical industry, tin is mainly utilized to manufacture tin compounds and specialized chemical reagents. Among these, organic tin compounds are predominantly used as wood preservatives and pesticides, while inorganic tin compounds find extensive applications as catalysts, stabilizers, additives, and emulsifiers in the ceramics industry. Finally, tin concentrates serve as the primary raw material for tin smelting.

10 Rare Earths

Rare earth elements are often referred to as "industrial gold" due to their exceptional physical properties—such as superior photoelectric and magnetic characteristics—which enable them to form novel materials with diverse, high-performance attributes when combined with other substances. Most notably, rare earths can significantly enhance the quality and functionality of a wide range of products. Moreover, these elements serve as crucial lubricants in cutting-edge technologies spanning electronics, lasers, nuclear industries, and superconductivity, among others. Rare earth elements have found extensive applications across various fields, including petroleum, chemical engineering, metallurgy, textiles, ceramics, glassmaking, and even in the production of permanent magnet materials. As technology continues to advance and innovative application techniques emerge, the value of rare earth oxides is only set to grow further.
 

11 Fluorite

Fluorite has a wide range of applications, and with advancements in science and technology, its potential uses are becoming increasingly promising. Currently, it is primarily used in the metallurgical industry as a raw material for producing cryolite, the flux essential in aluminum smelting. In the chemical industry, it serves as a key ingredient for manufacturing hydrofluoric acid, various lithium fluorides, and the refrigerant Freon. Additionally, in the construction materials sector, fluorite is employed as a decorative material. Beyond these, it also finds applications in light industry, optics, carving, and even the defense industry.

12 Potassium Salts

Potash minerals are primarily used to produce industrial-grade potassium compounds and potash fertilizers. Globally, 95% of potash products are utilized as fertilizers, while the remaining 5% serve industrial applications. Among these industrial uses, 35% is dedicated to manufacturing detergents, 25% is employed in the glass and ceramics industries in the form of carbonates and nitrates, 20% goes into textiles and dyeing processes, and 13% is used for chemical production. The rest find applications in industries such as canning, leather processing, electrical equipment, and metallurgy. Potassium chlorate, superphosphate, and potassium nitrate are crucial raw materials in the production of matches, fireworks, explosives, and rockets. Additionally, potassium compounds play vital roles in sectors like printing, batteries, vacuum tubes, and photography. They are also widely used in aviation gasoline and in the heat treatment processes for steel and aluminum alloys.

13 Graphite

Graphite has a wide range of industrial applications, including the production of high-temperature crucibles for smelting, lubricants for the machinery industry, electrodes, and even pencil leads. It is extensively used in advanced refractory materials and coatings for the metallurgical industry, as a stabilizer for pyrotechnic materials in the military sector, as well as in lightweight industries for pencil cores, in the electrical industry for carbon brushes, in the battery industry for electrodes, and as a catalyst in the fertilizer industry, among other applications. Furthermore, after undergoing deep processing, flake graphite can be transformed into high-tech products such as graphite emulsions, graphite-based sealing and composite materials, various graphite products, and graphite-based friction-reducing additives—making it an essential non-metallic mineral resource for diverse industrial sectors.

14 Petroleum

After processing and refining, petroleum yields products that can be used in people's daily lives. Petroleum fuels are the most widely consumed oil products. Lubricating oils and greases are employed to reduce friction between mechanical parts, protecting these components to extend their service life while also helping to conserve energy. Further processing during the production of fuels and lubricants can produce asphalt. Meanwhile, another key product is solvent, which serves as an essential raw material and intermediate in the organic synthesis industry.

15 Natural Gas

Natural gas can replace coal for factory heating, boiler systems used in manufacturing, and even gas turbine boilers in thermal power plants. Natural gas-based power generation is an effective solution to ease energy shortages, reduce the proportion of coal-fired power generation, and minimize environmental pollution. Moreover, from an economic perspective, natural gas power plants require lower investment per unit of installed capacity, have shorter construction timelines, and offer more competitive, lower on-grid electricity prices. Additionally, natural gas serves as the optimal raw material for producing nitrogen fertilizers, offering advantages such as low investment, minimal costs, and reduced pollution.

16 Shale Gas

Shale gas, natural gas trapped within shale rocks, could transform China—the world’s largest energy-consuming nation—by providing a new, abundant, and affordable fuel source over the next few decades. It is a clean, highly efficient energy resource and versatile chemical feedstock, widely used in applications such as residential gas supply, urban heating, power generation, automotive fuels, and chemical manufacturing.

17 Coal

Coal is often hailed as "black gold" and the "fuel of industry," serving as one of the primary energy sources that humanity has relied on since the 18th century. Its applications are incredibly diverse, broadly categorized into three main types based on its intended use: power coal, coking coal, and coal for the coal chemical industry—this includes coal specifically tailored for gasification, low-temperature dry distillation, and hydrogenation liquefaction processes. Power coal encompasses a variety of applications, such as coal used in power generation, steam locomotives, building materials production, general industrial boilers, residential heating, and metallurgical power coal. Coking coal, on the other hand, is primarily used to produce coke—a critical product obtained by high-temperature smelting of coking coal or blended coals. Typically, about 1.3 tons of coking coal are required to produce just one ton of coke. Coke plays an indispensable role in steelmaking, serving as a key raw material in industries like iron and steel production, earning it the nickname "the staple food" of the steel industry.

18th Coalbed Methane

Coalbed methane may not be widely known, but its common name—“gas”—is surely familiar to everyone. Coalbed methane can be used as a versatile fuel for residential and industrial purposes, as well as for power generation, vehicle fuel, and as an important raw material in the chemical industry. In fact, its calorific value is 2 to 5 times higher than that of conventional coal. One cubic meter of pure coalbed methane delivers energy equivalent to 1.13 kg of gasoline or 1.21 kg of standard coal, making its energy content comparable to natural gas. This means it can even be co-transported and co-used with natural gas. Moreover, when burned, coalbed methane produces remarkably clean combustion—virtually no exhaust gases at all—making it an excellent choice for industrial applications, chemical processing, power generation, and household use.

19 Iron

Iron ore is primarily used in the steel industry to smelt pig iron—containing varying levels of carbon (typically above 2%)—and steel (with carbon content usually below 2%). In addition, iron ore also finds limited applications as a catalyst for ammonia synthesis (in pure magnetite form), as a natural mineral pigment (such as hematite, specularite, and limonite), as a feed additive (including magnetite, hematite, and limonite), and even as a prized medicinal stone (magnetite). However, these uses account for only a small portion of overall demand.

20 Copper

In the kingdom of metals, copper ranks second only to silver in electrical conductivity. Copper ores are more abundant and cost less than silver ores. Today, over half of the world's copper is used in the power and telecommunications industries. Thanks to its excellent ductility, high thermal conductivity, and outstanding electrical properties, copper is the most commonly employed material for cables as well as electrical and electronic components. It’s also widely utilized as a construction material, capable of forming a wide variety of alloys. Copper alloys boast superior mechanical performance and remarkably low resistivity—among them, bronze and brass stand out as the most important. Moreover, copper is an exceptionally durable metal, allowing it to be recycled multiple times without compromising its mechanical strength or integrity.

21 Gold Medals

Although gold's social status has experienced countless ups and downs—toughing through millennia of human civilization, enduring both glory and disgrace, and undergoing constant shifts over time—it continues to retain a sacred aura among people today, remaining the wealth that everyone worldwide strives to attain. Jewelry manufacturing is the largest demand sector in China's gold market. Meanwhile, other industrial applications of gold, such as mobile phones, military products, and even temple decorations, also rely heavily on this precious metal.

22 Nickel

Nickel is a critically important non-ferrous metal material, widely used in the manufacturing of stainless steel, high-nickel alloy steels, and alloy structural steels—materials that find extensive applications in various military industries, including aircraft, radar systems, missiles, tanks, naval vessels, spacecraft, and nuclear reactors. In the civilian industrial sector, nickel is commonly processed into structural steels, acid-resistant steels, and heat-resistant steels, which are extensively employed across diverse sectors of mechanical engineering. Additionally, nickel serves as a key component in ceramic pigments and corrosion-resistant coatings. Nickel-cobalt alloys, prized for their exceptional permanent magnet properties, are widely utilized in fields such as electronic remote control systems, the atomic energy industry, and ultrasonic technologies. Meanwhile, in the chemical industry, nickel is frequently employed as a hydrogenation catalyst.

23 Molybdenum

Pure molybdenum wire is used in high-temperature electric furnaces, electrical discharge machining, and wire-cutting processes; molybdenum sheets are employed in the manufacturing of radio components and X-ray equipment. Adding molybdenum to alloy steels can enhance the elastic limit, improve corrosion resistance, and help maintain permanent magnetism. Molybdenum is one of the seven essential micronutrients required for plant growth and development—without it, plants cannot survive. Similarly, animals and fish, like plants, also depend on molybdenum for their survival.

24 Phosphorus

Worldwide, 84% to 90% of phosphate rock is used to produce various phosphate fertilizers, 3.3% is used for feed additives, 4% goes into detergents, and the remainder is utilized in industries such as chemicals, light industry, and defense. Phosphate rock also serves as a crucial raw material for the chemical industry. Some phosphate rock is processed into pure phosphorus (such as yellow phosphorus and red phosphorus) and other chemical raw materials, while a small portion is used as animal feed.

25 Manganese

In modern industry, manganese and its compounds are utilized across various sectors of the national economy. Among these, the steel industry is the most significant, accounting for 90% to 95% of manganese usage. It is primarily employed as a deoxidizer and desulfurizer in iron and steel production, as well as for manufacturing alloy steels. The remaining 10% to 5% of manganese finds applications in other industrial fields, including the chemical industry (for producing various manganese-containing salts), light industries (such as batteries, matches, printing inks, and soap-making), the building materials sector (as colorants and decolorizers in glass and ceramics), the defense industry, the electronics industry, and even areas like environmental protection, agriculture, and animal husbandry.

26 Vanadium

Vanadium can be found everywhere—in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, railway, electronics, and the defense industry. Moreover, vanadium oxides have become one of the finest catalysts in the chemical industry, earning them the nickname "chemical bread." When vanadium is alloyed with steel, it produces vanadium steel, which is denser than conventional steel structures and boasts superior toughness, elasticity, and mechanical strength.

27 Titanium

Titanium raw materials are primarily used to produce titanium dioxide (rutile), metallic titanium (sponge titanium), titanium-containing steel, and welding electrode coatings. Titanium dioxide is not only an excellent white pigment but also a crucial chemical feedstock. After being refined from titanium concentrates into sponge titanium through smelting, the material is then cast into ingots and further processed into industrially pure titanium and titanium alloy products. These titanium and titanium alloy materials are predominantly employed in the aerospace and aviation sectors. In addition to its use in producing industrial-grade pure titanium and titanium alloys, metallic titanium is also widely utilized in the steel industry to manufacture ferrotitanium alloys and titanium-containing steels. When added to steel, titanium acts as an alloying element, significantly enhancing the material's properties. Moreover, the key titanium-bearing mineral rutile remains an indispensable ingredient for high-quality electric welding electrode coatings.

28 Magnesium

Magnesium is commonly used as a reducing agent to displace metals such as titanium, zirconium, uranium, and beryllium. It is primarily employed in the production of lightweight metal alloys, ductile iron, scientific instruments, and Grignard reagents, among other applications. Magnesium is also utilized in manufacturing fireworks, flash powders, magnesium salts, gas absorbers, and illumination flares. Its structural properties closely resemble those of aluminum, making it ideal for a wide range of lightweight applications—such as serving as an alloying material for aircraft and missiles. However, magnesium becomes highly flammable at gasoline’s ignition temperature, which somewhat limits its practical use. On a more positive note, magnesium plays a valuable role in medical treatments, particularly for addressing magnesium deficiencies and alleviating muscle spasms. As one of the lightest structural metallic materials available, magnesium boasts exceptional advantages: it offers high specific strength and stiffness, excellent damping characteristics, favorable machinability, and remarkable recyclability. Both domestically and internationally, magnesium alloys are increasingly being integrated into the automotive industry to reduce vehicle weight, enhance fuel efficiency, minimize environmental pollution, and ultimately contribute to a cleaner, greener future.

29 Bismuth

Bismuth is primarily used to manufacture low-melting alloys, with melting points ranging from 47°C to 262°C. The most commonly used bismuth-based alloys are those composed of bismuth combined with metals such as lead, tin, antimony, and indium. These alloys find applications in fire protection devices, automatic sprinklers, and safety plugs for boilers—where, in the event of a fire, certain water pipe pistons will "automatically" melt, releasing water to extinguish the blaze. In the firefighting and electrical industries, bismuth is employed in automatic fire suppression systems, electrical fuses, and soldering materials. Bismuth alloys also exhibit the unique property of not shrinking upon solidification, making them ideal for casting printing type and high-precision molds. Additionally, bismuth subcarbonate and bismuth oxychloride are utilized in treating skin injuries and gastrointestinal disorders.

30 Platinum Group Metals

With the exception of osmium, which is a bluish-gray metal, the other platinum-group metals are silvery-white. Rhodium and gold have diverse applications as elements—they are used to produce hydrogenation catalysts, thermocouples, platinum-rhodium alloys, and more. They’re also commonly plated onto searchlights and reflecting mirrors. Additionally, they serve as luster-enhancing polishing agents for gemstones and as electrical contact components. Pure platinum and palladium exhibit excellent ductility, allowing them to undergo cold plastic deformation of over 90% without intermediate annealing, making it possible to process them into ultra-fine wires and thin foils measured in micrometers. Rhodium and iridium boast outstanding high-temperature strength, though their cold-workability is slightly limited. On the other hand, ruthenium—produced via powder metallurgy—can only be subjected to minor plastic deformation at temperatures between 1,150°C and 1,500°C, while osmium remains virtually impossible to shape even at elevated temperatures.

31 Niobium

A significant portion of the world's niobium is used in its pure metallic form, or as high-purity niobium-iron and niobium-nickel alloys, to produce nickel-, chromium-, and iron-based superalloys. These alloys find applications in jet engines, gas turbine engines, rocket components, turbochargers, and heat-resistant combustion equipment. Additionally, niobium, when used as a superconducting material, exhibits nearly zero electrical resistance—meaning that if superconducting cables were employed for power transmission, there would be no energy loss due to resistance during current flow. As a result, transmission efficiency would be dramatically improved.

32 Tantalum

Tantalum is a refractory metal and is often used as a minor alloying component. It exhibits low chemical reactivity, making it an ideal substitute for platinum in the manufacture of laboratory equipment. In acidic electrolytes, tantalum forms a stable anodic oxide film, enabling tantalum-based electrolytic capacitors to offer significant advantages such as high capacitance, compact size, and excellent reliability—making capacitor production the most important application of tantalum. Additionally, tantalum serves as a key material for manufacturing electronic emission tubes and high-power vacuum tube components. Corrosion-resistant tantalum devices are widely employed in the chemical industry for processing strong acids, bromine, ammonia, and other aggressive substances. Pure metallic tantalum is also utilized as a structural material for aircraft engine combustion chambers. Furthermore, tantalum-tungsten, tantalum-tungsten-hafnium, and tantalum-hafnium alloys are prized for their exceptional heat resistance and strength, making them indispensable materials in rocketry, missile technology, and jet engines—as well as critical components in control and regulatory systems.

33 Beryllium

As an emerging material, beryllium is increasingly gaining attention. It is an indispensable and valuable resource in industries such as atomic energy, rocketry, missile technology, aviation, aerospace, and metallurgy. Among all metals, beryllium boasts the strongest ability to transmit X-rays, earning it the nickname "metallic glass." This unique property makes beryllium an irreplaceable material for crafting the tiny windows of X-ray tubes. Beryllium is truly a treasure of the atomic energy industry. In nuclear reactors, it serves as a powerful source of neutrons, capable of delivering vast numbers of neutron "cannonballs"—producing hundreds of thousands of neutrons every second. Moreover, beryllium effectively slows down fast neutrons, enabling the sustained continuation of fission reactions. As a result, it stands out as the optimal neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. In the metallurgical industry, bronze containing 1% to 3.5% beryllium is known as beryllium bronze. This alloy exhibits superior mechanical properties compared to steel, along with excellent corrosion resistance, while also maintaining exceptional electrical conductivity.

Strontium-34

Strontium is widely found in mineral water and is an essential trace element for the human body, known for its ability to help prevent arteriosclerosis and inhibit blood clot formation. Whether through the process of manufacturing by reducing SrS with carbon followed by further reactions, or during the soda treatment stage, celestite always serves as the starting material for producing SrCO₃. Since strontium carbonate can be used to synthesize other strontium compounds, it plays a crucial role in purifying zinc for the production of ceramic permanent magnets (helping remove lead and cadmium) and is also indispensable in manufacturing TV fluorescent screens—making it the most important strontium compound overall. Strontium nitrate is utilized in pyrotechnic devices, while strontium oxide is employed in aluminum smelting. Additionally, strontium and strontium chloride are commonly used in dental repair procedures. Strontium hydroxide, meanwhile, has long been applied in the purification of magnesite.

35 Rubidium

Rubidium does not occur as a standalone industrial mineral; instead, it is typically found dispersed in mica, lepidolite, cesianite, and within salt deposits and mineral springs. Rubidium is an essential raw material for manufacturing electronic devices such as photomultiplier tubes and phototubes, spectrophotometers, automatic control systems, spectroscopic instruments, color films, color televisions, radar equipment, lasers, as well as glass, ceramics, and electronic clocks. In the field of aerospace technology, ion thrusters and thermionic energy converters rely heavily on rubidium. Moreover, rubidium hydrides and borides serve as high-energy solid fuels, while radioactive rubidium isotopes are used to determine the age of minerals. Beyond these applications, rubidium compounds also find use in pharmaceuticals and the paper industry—and can even act as getters in vacuum systems. As purifying agents, getters effectively remove excess gases that might otherwise contaminate the system.

36 Cesium

Cesium-137 can serve as a gamma radiation source, used in applications such as radiation breeding, irradiation of stored food, sterilization of medical devices, cancer treatment, and gamma radiography for industrial equipment. Industrially, metallic cesium is produced by reducing cesium chloride with metallic calcium at high temperatures. Additionally, cesium ions can also be utilized as propellants in space rockets.

37 Hafnium

It can be used as the cathode in X-ray tubes, while alloys of hafnium with tungsten or molybdenum serve as electrodes in high-voltage discharge tubes. Pure hafnium boasts excellent ductility, ease of machining, and outstanding resistance to high temperatures and corrosion, making it a crucial material in the nuclear industry. With its large thermal neutron capture cross-section, hafnium is an ideal neutron absorber, widely employed in control rods and protective devices for nuclear reactors. Additionally, hafnium powder is utilized as a propellant in rocket engines.

38 Scandium

Scandium is primarily used in applications such as scandium-sodium lamps, solar photovoltaic cells, and gamma-ray sources. Scandium in its elemental form has already been widely employed as an alloying agent for aluminum alloys. It also serves as an excellent modifier for iron; even small amounts of scandium can significantly enhance the strength and hardness of cast iron. Additionally, scandium is commonly used as an additive in high-temperature tungsten and chromium alloys. Of course, beyond serving as a "bridal gift" for other materials, scandium's high melting point combined with its density that closely matches aluminum makes it ideal for high-melting-point, lightweight alloys like scandium-titanium and scandium-magnesium alloys. Meanwhile, scandium oxide is utilized in the production of advanced ceramic materials.

39 Germanium

German possesses a wide range of unique properties, making it a vital strategic resource with extensive and critical applications across multiple fields—including semiconductors, aerospace measurement and control systems, nuclear physics detection, fiber-optic communications, infrared optics, solar cells, chemical catalysts, and biomedicine. In the electronics industry, it is used in alloy pre-treatment, while in the optical industry, it also serves as an effective catalyst. High-purity germanium is a key semiconductor material, typically obtained by reducing highly pure germanium oxide followed by melting. When doped with trace amounts of specific impurities, germanium single crystals become ideal for fabricating various transistors, rectifiers, and other electronic components. Additionally, germanium compounds are widely employed in the production of fluorescent panels and a variety of high-refractive-index glasses.

40 Gallium

Gallium's industrial applications are still relatively rudimentary, though its unique properties hold promise for use in a wide range of fields. The liquid form of gallium boasts an exceptionally broad temperature range and extremely low vapor pressure, making it ideal for high-temperature thermometers and pressure gauges. Gallium is also used to produce semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, and germanium-doped semiconductors. Pure gallium and low-melting alloys serve as heat-transfer media in nuclear reactors, as filling materials for high-temperature thermometers, and as catalysts for diesterification reactions in organic chemistry. Additionally, gallium-indium alloys can be employed as effective substitutes for mercury.

41 Indium Indium ingots, prized for their excellent light transmittance and high conductivity, are primarily used in the production of ITO targets—essential materials for manufacturing liquid crystal displays and flat-panel screens. This application accounts for the largest share of indium consumption, representing 70% of global indium usage. The next major consumption sectors include the electronics and semiconductor industry, which consumes 12% of global demand; soldering and alloy applications account for another 12%; and the research sector makes up 6%. Additionally, due to its relatively soft nature, indium is also employed in certain industries requiring metal fillers, such as sealing joints. In medicine, indium colloids are utilized for liver, spleen, and bone marrow scans, while Indium-DTPA is used for brain and kidney imaging. Indium-Fe(OH)₃ particles are employed in lung scans, and Indium-Fe-ascorbic acid is used for placental scans. Finally, indium-conjugated ferritin is utilized in liver blood pool scans.

42 Rhenium

Metal rhenium and its alloys are used to make fountain pen nibs and high-temperature thermocouples, as well as catalysts in alcohol dehydrogenation, ammonia synthesis, and the production of sulfur trioxide from sulfur dioxide. An alloy containing 90% tungsten, 1% vanadium, and 9% rhenium exhibits exceptional resistance to high temperatures.

 

43 Tellurium

Eighty percent of tellurium consumption is utilized in the metallurgical industry: Adding small amounts of tellurium to steel and copper alloys enhances their machinability and increases hardness. In white cast iron, tellurium acts as a carbide stabilizer, strengthening the surface and improving its wear resistance. Lead containing trace amounts of tellurium boosts the material's corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and strength, making it ideal for use as a sheath in submarine cables. Moreover, incorporating tellurium into lead significantly increases the metal's hardness, which is why it’s employed in manufacturing battery plates and printing typefaces. Tellurium also serves as an additive in petroleum cracking catalysts and as a key component in catalysts used to produce ethylene glycol. Tellurium oxide is widely used as a coloring agent for glass. High-purity tellurium can be incorporated into alloys as a thermoelectric material. Meanwhile, bismuth telluride stands out as an excellent refrigeration material. Additionally, several telluride compounds are recognized as promising semiconductor materials. Finally, ultra-pure single-crystal tellurium has emerged as a cutting-edge infrared material with remarkable properties.

44 Barite

Barite is an important non-metallic mineral resource with a wide range of industrial applications. Currently, the global consumption structure of barite is roughly as follows: approximately 85% is used as a weighting agent in drilling muds, 10% serves as a raw material for barium chemical production, and the remaining 5% is utilized in other applications such as fillers, mineralizers for cement, and road construction materials.

45 Arsenic

Many compounds of arsenic are highly toxic and often added to herbicides, rodenticides, and other products. Arsenic is also used as an alloying additive in the production of lead bullets, printing alloys, brass (for condensers), battery grid plates, wear-resistant alloys, high-strength structural steels, and corrosion-resistant steels. When present in trace amounts within brass, arsenic helps prevent dezincification. Furthermore, high-purity arsenic serves as a key raw material for synthesizing compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide and indium arsenide. It is also an essential dopant element for semiconductor materials like germanium and silicon, which are widely employed in devices such as diodes, light-emitting diodes, infrared emitters, lasers, and more.

46 Helium

Since helium is lightweight and non-flammable, it is widely used to fill airships, balloons, thermometers, vacuum tubes, diving suits, and more. It also serves as a protective gas in nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, lasers, rockets, metallurgy, and welding processes. Additionally, helium is employed to fill light bulbs and neon signs, as well as to manufacture foam plastics. Due to its extremely low solubility in blood, helium can be mixed with oxygen to prevent decompression sickness, making it an ideal breathing gas for divers or a therapeutic option for treating asthma and respiratory distress. Liquid helium, with its ultra-low temperature of -268.93°C—close to absolute zero (-273°C)—is essential in superconductivity research, where it acts as a superfluid to create and study superconducting materials. Liquid helium is also commonly used as a coolant and refrigerant. In medicine, it plays a crucial role in argon-helium knife therapy for cancer treatment. Moreover, helium is utilized as a key component in artificial atmospheres and laser media.

Strategic minerals are of critical strategic importance to a country's development, stability, and international competitiveness. The sheer quantity of strategic mineral resources a nation possesses is also a key indicator of its overall national strength—making the exploration and development of these vital resources an area that absolutely cannot be overlooked!

The material is sourced from the internet.