Explore a series of articles on the costs of critical mineral extraction

All clean energy technologies rely heavily on critical minerals

Although many of these minerals have been used for decades, such as copper in electrical wiring, the accelerating demand for them has strained existing extraction and processing systems. Supply chain disruptions for these materials may delay and increase the cost of transitioning to solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power.

Weird ways critical minerals are being mined

Critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and graphite are economically crucial non-fuel resources subject to supply chain risks. To diversify production, scientists developed odd ways to harvest them. This article breaks down the weirdest approaches, including extracting minerals from seawater using algae, phytomining plants, and asteroids.

Critical mineral production may lift impoverished regions out of poverty

Mineral wealth can provide public revenue and economic livelihoods to those in mining regions. However, poor management and lack of oversight can cause human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Review Congress's 2025 report on the history of US critical mineral policy

For decades, supply chains for critical minerals have grown increasingly vulnerable due to reliance on imports. In 2022, the US Geological Survey expanded the list of critical minerals to 50 to better reflect growing industrial needs, exacerbating this vulnerability.

Explore an interactive database of critical minerals and their uses

Columbia University's Critical Materials Monitor identifies 56 elements required for the clean energy transition. The tool provides details on the reserves, production, and trade of each element, alongside what materials are needed for each technology (desktop only).

Explore the human and environmental resources needed to make an electric vehicle

The minerals needed to build batteries for electric vehicles are expensive and often take a human toll paid by the communities where they are mined. This interactive article details what minerals make up an electric vehicle battery, where they come from, and dangers posed by the mining process.

A visual exploration of the environmental impacts and uncertain demand for deep-sea mining

While models suggest demand for crucial metals is expected to exceed supply through 2050, new battery technologies, such as those that require no nickel or cobalt, introduce uncertainty that opponents of deep-sea mining see as not worth the risk of certain environmental damage, which includes noise and light pollution and the release of toxic plumes from mining equipment.

As of 2022, Canada has the most planned critical mineral mines

Wealthy nations are tapping into their domestic critical mineral reserves and buying up mines in poorer countries. The US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and China are taking the lead, with Chinese operations spanning all continents except Antarctica.

Mining of rare earth elements risks leaking radioactive wastewater

The extraction and processing of REEs requires significant amounts of water, and poorly regulated projects can contaminate groundwater with acids and heavy metals. Toxic waste spills have paused work in several US mines since the 1980s, despite growing REE demand.

Why everyone is racing to get rare earth minerals

Rare earth minerals are crucial for high-tech electronics and transitioning to new energy sources. China currently dominates rare earth processing capacity, but the US is seeking to increase its mineral production by using its geopolitical influence to strike international mineral agreements with nations like Ukraine.

Cryptocurrency is reshaping finance, but its environmental impact often sparks debate

Behind the scenes, mining operations consume vast amounts of energy, comparable to the emissions of small nations. What drives this surprising environmental footprint, and can the industry evolve?

Balancing natural resource use: A look at sustainable governance

In an age of escalating environmental crises and increasing inequality, the governance of natural resources is critical to both human well-being and the health of our planet. This article published by the International Institute for Sustainable...

Tesla plans to eliminate the use of rare earth elements in future vehicles

At a 2023 Investor Day event, Elon Musk outlined steps to focus Tesla's efforts on climate action rather than new vehicle models. Musk estimates the transition to carbon-free, sustainable energy will cost $10T.

Watch how deep-sea mining equipment collects and processes polymetallic nodules—metal-rich, potato-shaped rocks—from the ocean floor and creates environmentally damaging plumes of sediments.

Explore an interactive map of global water gaps, caused by demand surpassing replenishment

Humans extract 4,000 cubic kilometers of water from natural systems annually—eight times more than a century ago—creating regions where freshwater demand surpasses available reserves. The depletion of shallow aquifers has driven tapping into deeper, nonrenewable ones, threatening ecosystem sustainability.

4-minute overview of gold mining in the Amazon rainforest

A 2022 NBC news investigation of gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Much of the $3B in illegal gold is trafficked to the US every year.

Minerals, crystals, rocks, and gems explained

Have you ever wondered what differentiates a mineral from a rock or a crystal from a gem? This three-minute video from the American Museum of Natural History elaborates on the unique properties and compositions that separate minerals, rocks,...

Fracking has led to an increased global oil supply, contributing to lower oil prices

Fracking technology has significantly increased how much crude oil the US produces. As more countries adopt fracking technology, there could be an increased downward pressure on prices—although fracking has been widely criticized for its negative environmental impacts.

Explore the complex trade-offs policymakers face when considering tariffs

While tariffs can generate government revenue and encourage the consumption of locally produced goods, they can often lead to higher consumer prices and may negatively impact economic growth.

The case against the penny

It takes roughly three cents to produce a single penny, with an annual price tag of nearly $100M. The ubiquitous copper coin is scarcely used, ending up in jars or lost in couches, necessitating even more replacement coins, perpetuating a vicious circle. Studies suggest eliminating the coin would not cost consumers money. See a quick overview of the problem here.

Selection of wind farm sites considers wildlife impacts and wind resource potential

Environmental impact studies, wind energy maps, anemometer data, and local, state, and federal regulations factor into wind farm projects, including offshore farms. Wind projects on public lands require additional permitting.

An overview of bioremediation, which can help clean up oil spills, mining waste, and some plastics

The umbrella term refers to a variety of techniques that use organisms to remove harmful substances from an environment or break them down into nontoxic compounds. Because the availability of certain resources can limit the growth of these organisms and impair bioremediation efforts, nutrients such as fertilizers can be deployed to accelerate cleanup.

A guide to crude oil and natural gas extraction, from rig site preparation to land restoration

Requirements for traffic plans, access roads, and noise barriers vary by state and local laws, but once the rig site is prepared, the rig is assembled and digs a well that is then encased in steel and cement to protect groundwater reservoirs. After drilling and testing the extraction pipe, fracking fluid is injected into the rock to create cracks where crude oil resides, allowing it to be pumped out.

Explore policy options for reforming the Clean Water Act

The Bipartisan Policy Center brought together experts from across the political spectrum to discuss ways to expedite federal permits for energy and infrastructure projects, including updating some provisions of the Clean Water Act to reduce bureaucratic hurdles without compromising water protections.

A financial analysis of space trash cleanup strategies identified long-term benefits

Despite significant initial costs, a NASA report found that removing small debris would provide savings from preventing mission-ending damage, which would offset expenses within a decade. Financial benefits would also come from using less fuel for maneuvers to avoid collisions with debris.

An investigation suggests a Scottish island became awash in forever chemicals via seafoam and seaspray—raising questions about what that means for the safety of other coastal areas.

How key commodities have performed since 2019, visualized

Due in part to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain issues, commodities experienced significant volatility from 2019 to 2025. For instance, coffee bean prices saw major swings in recent years due to climate challenges in countries including Brazil and Vietnam.

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

Learn how to read a prospectus, the juicy document that any company must file with the SEC before going public.

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Use this tool to calculate the dollar value of your parental mental load, from meal planning to coordinating after-school care, then see resources that help generate solutions.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

Radioactive elements can introduce software errors because the ionizing radiation they produce can detach electrons from atoms, and computer code relies on the distribution of electrons.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

See these 16 pieces of art evoking phobias of snakes, flying, spiders, and more. 

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Pure water does not conduct electricity because this flow of energy requires the movement of charged particles, and water is a neutral molecule.

Explore the history, structure, and species of Australia's Great Barrier Reef with this interactive journey narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

A Yale student wrote a profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on elite college students that was published in a book of her writing after she died in a post-graduation car accident.

Scientists have struggled to pin down Ebola's natural reservoir species for decades, but the available evidence suggests that it's very likely fruit and insect-eating bats found in Africa.

Scientists can determine Earth's past climate conditions by analyzing air trapped in microscopic bubbles within ice cores—columns of compressed snow layers that build up over hundreds of thousands of years.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

How Amazon operates a 'flywheel' business model, a self-reinforcing cycle that drives continuous growth

Massive 3D printers have been used to build homes by stacking layers of 'concrete toothpaste,' a fire-resistant material that effectively insulates against outside noise.

Explore an interactive map of battles from the American Revolution, along with detailed summaries of each engagement