Earth Science Week Classroom Activities

Critical Minerals Search

Activity Source: Minerals Education Coalition

Grade Level: 6-12

Materials

 

Introduction

There is concern over the large quantity of mineral commodities crucial to defense, medicine, and technology that must be imported by the United States (U.S.) each year. The U.S. faces three key challenges in securing mineral commodities: obtaining mining permits, managing supply chain disruption, and navigating restrictions on imports and exports. In this activity, you will use, analyze, and research information from the U.S. Geological Survey 2026 Mineral Commodity Summaries, which lists the 60 minerals, elements, and metals designated as “critical minerals,” and provides the information for each (p. 23).

The images of critical minerals and their uses.

 

Procedure

  1. Information from the U.S. Geological Survey 2026 Mineral Commodity Summaries has been inserted in the table below for 10 mineral commodities. Subtract the Net Imported % from 100 to find the % Self Sufficiency for the U.S. for each material.
  2. Conduct research to find the state(s) where each critical mineral are naturally found in the U.S. List these in the right column using the two-letter abbreviation for each state.
  3. Research in which state(s) each mineral is currently being mined and circle those states.
Table for students to record information on critical minerals.

Analysis

  1. What do you think is the most important critical mineral and why?
  2. Do you think that the U.S. could supply more of its own critical mineral needs? Why or why not?
  3. What if the minerals for these important uses were not available to import? Are there other options? What are the difficulties/challenges with each of these other options?

Further Steps

Go to the Minerals Education Coalition’s Earth Science Week webpage for more related information and activities.

 

 

NGSS Connections

  • SEP: Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Engaging in Argument from Evidence
  • DCI: ESS2.A: Earth’s Materials; ESS3.B: Natural Resources
  • CCC: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

SDG Connections