Trump Administration Finalizes New Critical Minerals List Crucial for National Security, Economy

These minerals are used in smartphones, energy grids, defense systems, and advanced technologies.

A sample of bastnaesite ore, a mineral used in the rare earth industry to extract elements such as cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium, is displayed at the Geological Museum of China in Beijing on Oct. 14, 2025. Maxim Shemetov /Reuters

The Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released its final 2025 List of Critical Minerals on Thursday, identifying 60 minerals that are “essential to our economy, national security and way of life,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a Nov. 6 post on X.

“Under [President Donald Trump’s] leadership, we are restoring American mineral independence. The 2025 List is a bold, data-driven roadmap to reduce dependence on foreign adversaries and unleash U.S. innovation!” Burgum said.