EP 163 | Critical vs Strategic Minerals: What's the Difference?

What makes a mineral critical? What makes it strategic? And why are governments around the world racing to secure supplies of certain commodities? In this episode of Fresh Thinking by Snowden Optiro , Senzeni Mandava Matondi, Julian Aldridge, and Laurie Hassell explore the growing importance of critical and strategic minerals in today's economy. From copper, lithium and rare earth elements to gallium and germanium minerals, the discussion examines how countries define these resources and why those definitions matter. The team explores: The difference between critical and strategic minerals Why supply risk matters The role of minerals in national security and defence Food security and fertiliser-related commodities How critical mineral lists differ between countries The influence of processing capability and intellectual property The minerals driving the energy transition