From the inner workings of computers and chips to the batteries inside cars, to industrial power generation and distribution, metals and minerals extracted from the earth directly touch all of our lives. Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing clean energy technologies – from wind turbines and electricity networks to electric vehicles. As the world looks to spur a transition to clean energy and mitigate the effects of climate change, demand for these resources are skyrocketing. In 2020, the World Bank projected a need for a 500% increase in graphite, cobalt, and lithium production by 2050. Their report “Minerals for Climate Action: The Mineral Intensity of the Clean Energy Transition” found that even though clean energy technologies will require more minerals, the carbon footprint of their production—from extraction to end use—will account for only 6% of the greenhouse gas emissions being generated by fossil fuel technologies.
The transition to clean energy is inextricably linked to a renaissance in mining, and more broadly, a renewed focus on the entire mineral supply chain. Indeed, virtually every technology seen as critical to the green revolution, from electric vehicles (EVs) to solar and wind power, demands far greater inputs of minerals and metals than traditional carbon-intensive methods. As Scott Odell, professor and scientist, explains, “We are going to need to mine more to mitigate climate change.
At the forefront of the green energy transition in America is lithium. Lithium-ion batteriespower electric vehicles, and can provide a reliable way to aid the storage of energy from wind and solar sources. Today, the world’s largest producers of lithium are Australia and Chile. Silver Peak Mine in Nevada is the only operational lithium mine in the U.S, but there are plans to expand lithium production, with 130 lithium mining proposals in the western U.S. as of March 2024.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act provided billions in funding for expanding domestic lithium mining. This was part of the Biden Administration’s investment in electric vehicles, and understanding that strengthening domestic mining is important for America’s energy independence, economy, and national security. While the Trump administration has worked to gut much of the Inflation Reduction Act, domestic lithium mining still seems to be a priority thus far. In June, the Trump administration added two new lithium projects to the Federal Permitting dashboard - Kings Mountain and Liberty Owl - and is considering providing up to $900 million in funding for a lithium mine on public land in Nevada.
The Trump administration has also sought a government stake in other critical mineral and semiconductor companies. In June, the Trump administration approved US Steel’s takeover by Japan’s Nippon Steel in exchange for the federal government owning a majority control of the company’s shares.
However, lithium mining is not a climate panacea: it carries environmental risks including biodiversity loss and contamination of groundwater supplies. And, 54% of new mining projects to accelerate the clean energy transition are on Indigenous land.
The Thacker Pass Mine, a project underway in Nevada, is an excellent case study of the challenges and competing interests involved in expanding lithium mining in the transition from fossil fuels.
Located in Humboldt County, Nevada, it has one of the largest lithium deposits in North America. Currently under construction, with the support of a $2 billion loan from the DOE, the Trump administration is even seeking, as of late September 2025, 10% equity in the project in exchange for a modification of that loan.
It faces strong opposition from several Native tribes. Check out this short documentary on YouTube about the impact of lithium mining on Indigenous lands in Thacker Pass.
There are also some significant water issues. Read more about that here.
More environmentally friendly than hard rock mining, it involves drilling wells to pump up brine, using less water and producing less carbon dioxide. It is not entirely understood what impacts this could have on local water supplies, or how this can be done to scale in the U.S.
New technology has made deep-sea mining possible, a method which could meet the rising demand for minerals needed for decarbonization. Yet deep-sea mining has environmental risks too, including harming marine life with equipment, sediment plumes and wastewater, and noise and light pollution which could disturb ecosystems and lead to habitat loss and extinction. The UN's International Seabed Authority was meant to decide this year on regulations for deep-sea mining in international waters, but disbanded talks in July 2025 without consensus. Negotiations will resume in 2026.
Despite the lack of regulations or scientific consensus, President Trump signed an executive order in April 2025 to promote deep-sea mining and fast-track permitting for deep-sea projects in order to compete with China’s dominance in the field.
Copper is crucial for clean energy because it is an excellent electrical conductor, making it essential for the wiring and components within renewable energy systems like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicle charging stations, allowing for efficient transmission of electricity with minimal energy loss; its high recyclability further enhances its sustainability in the clean energy transition.
Nickel is considered a critical element in clean energy because it plays a vital role in the production of high-performance lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs), enabling increased energy density and driving range, while also being used in components of wind turbines and solar panels due to its stability and corrosion resistance properties, making it essential for energy storage and renewable energy applications.
Cobalt is crucial for clean energy technologies, particularly in electric vehicle batteries and wind turbine generators, because it is a key component in high-performance lithium-ion batteries, enabling them to store large amounts of energy with high energy density, stability, and longevity, which is essential for powering electric vehicles and other renewable energy applications; additionally, cobalt is used in the strong permanent magnets within wind turbine generators, allowing them to operate efficiently at lower wind speeds.
Rare earth minerals are crucial for clean energy technologies because their unique properties allow for the creation of powerful permanent magnets used in key components of wind turbines and electric vehicle motors, making them essential for efficient energy generation and conversion in renewable energy systems.
CREDIT: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
