Phosphate Declared Critical for U.S. Security in Major Mineral List Update
Phosphorus
02 December 2025 at 12:00
Phosphorus
02 December 2025 at 12:00
In a significant move to safeguard its economic and national security, the U.S. Department of the Interior has released its 2025 Critical Minerals List, formally classifying phosphate as a strategic resource for the first time. This essential mineral, vital for producing agricultural fertilizers and advanced lithium-ion batteries, headlines a group of ten newly added substances.
The updated list now contains 60 minerals deemed crucial due to high supply chain risks. Alongside phosphate, the new additions include potash (reinstated after a 2022 removal), boron, copper, lead, metallurgical coal, rhenium, silicon, silver, and uranium. This is the third such list, following versions published in 2018 (35 minerals) and 2022.
The formal designation of phosphate underscores its dual importance to U.S. food security and clean energy transition. Its inclusion follows a comprehensive, data-driven assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which evaluated 84 minerals under 1,200 potential supply disruption scenarios. The analysis measured impacts across more than 400 domestic industry sectors, focusing on vulnerabilities like foreign trade disruptions and over-reliance on single suppliers.
"The decision to add phosphate reflects a strategic imperative," the announcement implied, highlighting the mineral's role in core industries from farming to electric vehicle manufacturing. The list, shaped by public consultation, serves as a key policy guide for boosting domestic production, recycling, and securing reliable mineral supply chains for the nation's future.
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