Critical Minerals by Country
Each jurisdiction applies its own legal definitions, assessment methodology and policy priorities to determine which minerals it considers critical. This page compares the major national and supranational frameworks side by side.
Major government frameworks.
The U.S. list is established under the Energy Act of 2020 and updated by USGS. Executive orders expanded DoD and DOE involvement. Copper and uranium were added in 2025.
View U.S. ListThe 2022 strategy identifies 31 priority materials and allocates federal funding for exploration, processing and infrastructure.
View Canada FrameworkThe Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) came into force in 2024, setting strategic targets for domestic extraction, processing and recycling capacity.
View EU FrameworkAustralia's strategy focuses on developing downstream processing and refining to capture more of the value chain domestically.
View Australia FrameworkThe U.K. strategy emphasizes economic resilience and international partnerships across the mining and processing value chain.
View UK FrameworkJapan's Economic Security Act and Critical Minerals Strategy focus on stockpiling, supply diversification and international partnerships through JETRO.
View Japan FrameworkWhich minerals are listed by each country?
| Mineral | 🇺🇸 US | 🇨🇦 CA | 🇪🇺 EU | 🇦🇺 AU | 🇬🇧 UK | 🇯🇵 JP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cobalt | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nickel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Graphite | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copper | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rare Earths | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gallium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Germanium | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Data compiled from official government and supranational authority publications. Updated 2025–2026.
Full U.S. List