Science & Tech Spotlight: Critical Minerals from Seawater
Important technologies, including electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, and solar panels, require “critical” minerals such as magnesium and lithium. But the U.S. obtains most of these minerals from foreign countries, including some adversaries. Wars, trade embargoes, or other supply disruptions could seriously affect U.S. manufacturing, energy production, the defense industrial base, and other industries. Developing domestic sources could help mitigate these risks.
Short title:
Critical Minerals from Seawater
Start date:
2025-07
End date:
2025-07
Homepage:
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-108484
Project leader:
Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) (STAA)
Country:
United States of America
Publications:

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