Gregory Wischer
Critical minerals undergird great power competition and war. These nonfuel minerals and mineral materials are vital to countries’ defense industrial bases, enabling the production of military platforms like tanks as well as munitions and artillery shells. Therefore, mineral supplies can help sustain military power, while mineral shortages can severely undermine it. For example, the Allied powers’ control of most of the world’s minerals before World War II proved instrumental in their eventual victory over the Axis powers.
Minerals remain important for military power today. Iron is used in steel, which is necessary for military components like ship hulls and tank armor. Copper is commonly used in munitions such as bullets and artillery shells. And lithium and other minerals have gained further relevance due to their use in new energy technologies, like high-capacity batteries. The U.S. Army aims to field an entirely electric non-tactical light-duty vehicle fleet by 2027, and the army’s climate strategy emphasizes installing battery storage systems and generating renewable electricity on its bases.