¿Qué hace que un mineral o un metal sea “crítico”?

The document outlines a methodology for governments to identify 'critical' or 'strategic' minerals based on technical, economic, and geopolitical risks. It emphasizes that while advanced economies focus on supply security, producing countries should use criticality assessments to maximize financial benefits, increase industrial value-added, and position themselves as preferred partners in the energy and digital transitions. The guide proposes a four-step process: understanding criticality, conducting a comprehensive balance of risks and opportunities, making strategic decisions, and establishing a periodic review cycle. It includes detailed checklists for geological, economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical data collection.

• There is no universal definition of 'critical' or 'strategic' minerals; advanced economies typically use 'critical' to describe elements essential for strategic industries that face high supply disruption risks, while producing countries often use 'strategic' to denote minerals vital for national economy and geopolitical leverage.
• Criticality is dynamic and temporal; minerals may lose or gain critical status over time due to technological shifts, the discovery of new production sources, or the development of substitutes.
• A significant portion of critical minerals—estimated at over 60% in the US, EU, Canada, and Australia—are not mined individually but are produced as co-products or by-products of major metals, making their supply inelastic and dependent on the economics of the host metal.
• Producing countries often erroneously believe criticality assessments are unnecessary; however, such analyses are vital to anticipate the 'domino effects' of risk-mitigation strategies adopted by importing nations and to capitalize on the current window of geopolitical opportunity.
• The guide recommends a four-step approach for governments: 1) Understanding criticality, 2) Analyzing and mapping risks (the 'balance' phase), 3) Making strategic decisions, and 4) Implementing a review process, ideally every three years.
• The 'balance' phase (Step 2) requires comprehensive data across five categories: geological potential, economic/market trends, social and environmental impacts, geopolitical tensions, and governance/legal frameworks.
• Social and environmental risks, including the 'social license to operate' and climate change vulnerability, are critical factors that can halt mining projects if not managed through community consultation and sustainability safeguards.
• Regional cooperation is encouraged to achieve economies of scale and avoid a 'race to the bottom' in fiscal regimes, exemplified by the 2022 agreement between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to develop an electric battery manufacturing special economic zone.
• There is a policy gap regarding minerals that are both 'critical' and 'conflict minerals' (such as tin, tantalum, and tungsten), where the drive for secure supply might inadvertently fuel conflicts in fragile jurisdictions if not aligned with responsible sourcing frameworks.

APA

Ramdoo, I., Bellois, G., & Hendriwardani, M. (2024). ¿Qué hace que un mineral o un metal sea “crítico”? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-09/igf-what-makes-minerals-metals-critical-es.pdf

Chicago

Ramdoo, Isabelle, Grégoire Bellois, and Murtiani Hendriwardani. ¿Qué hace que un mineral o un metal sea “crítico”? International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-09/igf-what-makes-minerals-metals-critical-es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ramdoo |first1=Isabelle |last2=Bellois |first2=Grégoire |last3=Hendriwardani |first3=Murtiani |title=¿Qué hace que un mineral o un metal sea “crítico”? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=May 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-09/igf-what-makes-minerals-metals-critical-es.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ramdoo2024hace, author = {Ramdoo, Isabelle and Bellois, Grégoire and Hendriwardani, Murtiani}, title = {{¿Qué hace que un mineral o un metal sea “crítico”?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-09/igf-what-makes-minerals-metals-critical-es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }