Rare Earths and the Humanoid Robot

In April 2025, on Tesla’s Q1 earnings call, Elon Musk told investors that Optimus, the company’s humanoid robot, had been held up by a problem few outside the rare earth industry had been watching. “Optimus was affected,” he said, “by the magnet issue from China because the Optimus actuators in the arm do use permanent magnets” (Adamas Intelligence).

October 14, 2026

2 min

A Few Countries Control the World's Energy Transition Minerals

When China restricted exports of seven heavy rare earth elements and their magnets on 4 April 2025, factories felt it within weeks. Carmakers in the United States, Europe and Japan reported disruptions serious enough to cut output or halt production lines, and Washington negotiated a 90-day truce to restart the flow.

August 27, 2026

1 min

Silver’s Elevation to Critical Mineral Status: A Strategic Turning Point for U.S. Supply Chains

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s addition of silver to the Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals in November 2025 marks a pivotal shift. No longer viewed primarily as a precious metal for jewelry and investment, silver is now recognized as vital to technology, the energy transition, and national security.

April 27, 2026

1 min

The EU’s Race for Critical Raw Materials: Navigating Supply Risks

As the European Union moves toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, the demand for critical raw materials, the building blocks of wind turbines, batteries, and solar panels—is skyrocketing.

February 11, 2026

3 min

Global Refining Dynamics: Analyzing the Supply Chain

In the current industrial landscape, significant attention is paid to where resources are mined.

January 27, 2026

3 min

The Arctic Pivot: Greenland’s Mineral Wealth and the Race to Break China’s Monopoly

In the opening weeks of 2026, the Arctic has once again become a center of a high-stakes geopolitical tug-of-war.

January 14, 2026

3 min

Global Tungsten Production 2024

As the infographic above clearly illustrates, the global tungsten supply chain is one of the most concentrated in the world.

October 28, 2025

3min

From Canada to Greenland: Brunswick's CEO on the Global Hunt for Lithium

In the vast, resource-rich territories of Canada, a modern exploration boom is underway. The prize? Lithium—the white gold powering our electrified future. While many follow the well-trodden path, some companies are taking a bolder approach, hunting for entirely new discoveries from the ground up. Brunswick Exploration (TSX.V: BRW) is one of those pioneers.

August 29, 2025

10 min

Mapped: Discover Pakistan's Rich Mineral Endowment

Pakistan sits at the crossroads of opportunity, strategically located within the mineral-rich Tethyan Belt known for hosting world-class deposits.

April 4, 2025

2 min

Energy Transition Expected to Fuel Surging Demand for Critical Minerals

As the global push toward clean energy gains momentum, demand for certain minerals and metals is projected to increase significantly by 2040. The infographic above illustrates how lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, manganese, rare earth elements, and copper could experience exponential growth—driven primarily by electric vehicle (EV) batteries, renewable energy technologies, and large-scale energy storage solutions.

March 20, 2025

1 min

Rare Earths Reserves in 2023

As of 2023, global reserves were estimated at 115.4 million metric tons (MT), with China, Vietnam and Brazil holding most significant part of these reserves.

December 9, 2024

1 min

Global Rare Earth Metals Production 2023

Global rare earth element (REE) production reached approximately 350,000 metric tons in 2023. China maintained its dominance as the largest producer of rare earths, accounting for 240,000 metric tons, a significant rise from 210,000 tons in 2022. This output represents nearly 70% of the global total. China is home to some of the world's largest rare earth mines, with significant operations in key regions:

December 3, 2024

1 min