About Strategic Elements
Visualizing geopolitical risk in critical mineral supply chains to inform strategic decision-making for policymakers, businesses, and researchers.
Our Mission
Strategic Elements provides transparent, data-driven analysis of supply chain vulnerabilities for critical minerals essential to modern technology, defense systems, and the clean energy transition. By visualizing these dependencies, we help stakeholders understand risks and make informed decisions about supply chain resilience.
Risk Assessment Methodology
Overall Risk Score (0-100)
Our composite risk score weighs multiple factors to provide a holistic view of supply chain vulnerability.
- Supply Concentration - Herfindahl-Hirschman Index of production concentration
- China Dependency - Direct production and refining control by China
- Adversary Dependency - Supply from nations classified as adversaries
- Substitutability - Availability of substitute materials
- Import Reliance - US net import dependency
- Price Volatility - Historical price stability metrics
Alliance Classifications
Countries are classified based on their geopolitical relationship with the United States.
- Allied Nations
Five Eyes, NATO, QUAD members and formal allies
- Neutral Nations
Non-aligned countries without adversarial relations
- Adversary Nations
Countries with strategic competition or sanctions
Risk Levels
Elements are categorized into risk levels based on their overall score.
- Critical80-100
- High60-79
- Medium40-59
- Low20-39
- Minimal0-19
Critical Mineral Lists
We track designations from multiple government sources.
- USGS Critical Minerals - 50 minerals critical to US national security
- EU Critical Raw Materials - European Commission list of strategic materials
- DoD Strategic Materials - Defense-specific priority materials
Data Sources
Production Data
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries
- British Geological Survey World Mineral Statistics
- UNCTAD Statistics
- Company annual reports and filings
Geopolitical Data
- US State Department country classifications
- NATO member lists
- Five Eyes alliance documentation
- OFAC sanctions databases
Price Data
- London Metal Exchange (LME)
- USGS price records
- Industry price indices
Event Tracking
- Government policy announcements
- Trade restriction databases
- Industry news and analysis
API Access
Our data is available through a type-safe tRPC API. The API provides access to:
- Element data and risk scores
- Production data by country
- Geopolitical event tracking
- Product mineral compositions
- Country alliance classifications
- Historical price data
For API access, please contact us for documentation and authentication details.
Disclaimer
The data and analysis provided by Strategic Elements is for educational and research purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, supply chain conditions change rapidly. This information should not be the sole basis for investment, policy, or business decisions. Always consult primary sources and qualified experts for critical decisions.
Start Exploring
Dive into our interactive periodic table to explore critical mineral risks.
View Periodic Table