For more than a decade, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has funded basic and applied research and development (R&D) related to critical materials to address the scientific and technological (S&T) challenges that underpin supply chain vulnerabilities. These investments were made possible through the first DOE Critical Materials Strategy in 2010. This included the first DOE Critical Materials Assessment – identifying which materials were critical for clean energy technologies. It also defined the pillars that form the foundation of the DOE research strategy that guided these investments.

The Energy Act of 2020 expanded DOE authorities to address critical materials challenges through a Critical Materials Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercialization Application (RDD&CA) Program. The Critical Materials RDD&CA Program allows DOE to invest across the entire research continuum and supply chain.

U.S. Department of Energy, July 2023.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) launched the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to modernize the surface and subsurface geologic mapping of the United States, with a focus on identifying areas that may have the potential to contain critical mineral resources.

U.S. Geological Survey, Feb. 2023.

Nevada is the only U.S. state that encompasses every facet of the lithium-ion battery economy and life cycle, from the exploration and mining of natural Lithium deposits to the research and development to production and assembly, and finally the recycling operations.

Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Publication, Jan. 2023.

2022 map showing critical mineral occurrences within Nevada's historic mining districts.

Map created by the Nevada Division of Minerals.

This web application was developed as a tool for explorationists to identify and discover mineral resources throughout Nevada. Data in this web application are organized by category (upper right-hand side of map). Each category is indicated with a different symbol, which are outlined below.

Hosted by the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.

The purpose of this page is to present current active mines and production data for the State of Nevada.  This page is also intended to give the user the ability to see where mineral commodities and occurrences have been documented in the state of Nevada with respect to current mineral and producers in the State.

Users can filter historic mining districts by commodity type, including critical minerals, and follow weblinks to additional information and resources.

Hosted by the Nevada Division of Minerals.

Interactive maps and downloadable data for regional and global Geology, Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Mineral Resources. Includes datasets for critical minerals.

Link to the White House presidential actions webpage, Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains.

By this notice, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), presents the 2022 final list of critical minerals and the methodology used to develop the list. The 2022 final list of critical minerals.