Critical Metals

What Are Critical Metals?

A critical metal is a metal which is essential to an industrial process - for which there is no actual or commercially viable substitute. A classic example of a critical metal is Rhodium - which is required for automobile catalytic convertors. Rhodium acts as a catalyst on the nitrogen gases produced by combustion engines and renders them to a harmless form.

There are many critical metals in various areas of industry - and it is likely that interest in this subject is set to grow in the coming years as their possible scarcity may affect our lives significantly. Some other examples of critical metals include Gallium, Platinum, Tantalum, Lithium, Molybdenum, Indium, Copper and the so called "Rare Earth Elements" - although, as will be demonstrated: Some metals are more critical than others!

Critical Metals As Investment Opportunities

Critical metals may present fantastic investment opportunities for the speculator. However, there is an added risk associated with this type of investment: As science is always developing new methods of doing things, it is possible that a process which once required a critical metal may become obsolete as it is superseded by a new process. An example of this is Tungsten. Tungsten has the highest melting point of any metallic element and so was critical to making the filament wire used in lightbulbs. As such, at one point it was believed that supplies of Tungsten would rapidly run short. However, the tungsten-filament lightbulbs are being superseded by compact fluorescent bulbs, significantly easing the demand for tungsten - although it is still in demand for other applications.

The demand and price of any given metal may rise or fall and is affected by numerous factors - notably the amount mined, the amount stockpiled, and the industrial demand. It is particularly interesting to watch the prices for such commodities - as several of the critical metals have made rapid gains in the last few years. And this trend shows every sign of continuing.

Another example of a critical metal is Indium. Indium has shot up in price in the last few years - gaining 900% between 2003 and 2006. Demand for indium seems likely to grow as it is used in the modern generation of LCD screens - and also in a new generation of hyper-efficient solar panels, which are just starting to be manufactured.

The New Precious Metals

When most people think of precious metals, they immediately think of Gold, Silver and Platinum. This is because for centuries, if not millenia, such metals have been standard measures and stores of wealth. However, in the 21st century, it looks almost certain that a new set of precious metals will emerge - those required by industry and essential to modern technological processes - in particular military, engineering and electronics applications: The Critical Metals.

The Purpose Of This Web Site

On this site we will investigate the fascinating subject of the critical metals - devoting a page to each. We'll take a look at their uses, their industrial demand, their prices in the markets - and provide a host of links to further research. Bookmark this page and return later as the site grows and becomes a fully-fledged resource.

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Gallium crystals. Source - wikipedia

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