Canada's Critical Minerals List: All 34 Minerals
Canada designates 34 minerals as critical. The June 2024 update kept all 31 minerals from the 2021 list and added high-purity iron ore, phosphorus and silicon metal.
Which minerals are on Canada's critical minerals list?
Canada's Critical Minerals List has 34 entries, from aluminum to zinc. The list guides federal investment, tax measures and partnerships, and it is the basis for the Critical Minerals Strategy. Six of the minerals were prioritised in the 2022 strategy: lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements.
Minerals on the list
34
June 2024 update
Added in 2024
3
Iron ore, phosphorus, silicon
From the 2021 list
31
Priority minerals
6
2022 strategy
How is Canada's list determined?
A mineral must have a threatened supply chain and a reasonable chance of being produced in Canada. It must also meet at least one further test: its importance to economic or national security, its role in the transition to a low-carbon, digital economy, or its value in positioning Canada as a strategic supply chain partner. The 2024 update followed consultation with provinces and territories, industry and Indigenous organisations. The government reviews the list every three years.
The complete list of 34 critical minerals
Minerals with a profile link to our mineral library. "Added 2024" marks the three new entries; "Priority" marks the six minerals named in the 2022 strategy.
| Mineral | Status | Main uses |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Critical | Transportation and automotive; Packaging and containers |
| Antimony | Critical | Flame retardants; Lead-acid batteries |
| Bismuth | Critical | Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics; Lead-free solders |
| Cesium | Critical | Atomic clocks and GPS systems; Oil and gas drilling fluids |
| Chromium | Critical | Stainless steel production; Superalloys for jet engines |
| Cobalt | Priority | Lithium-ion battery cathodes; Superalloys for jet engines |
| Copper | Priority | Electrical wiring and power cables; Electric vehicle motors and wiring |
| Fluorspar | Critical | Steelmaking flux; Hydrofluoric acid production |
| Gallium | Critical | Semiconductors (GaAs, GaN); 5G telecommunications |
| Germanium | Critical | Fiber optic systems; Infrared optics and night vision |
| Graphite | Priority | Lithium-ion battery anodes; Steel and foundry applications |
| Helium | Critical | MRI scanners, semiconductor manufacturing, leak detection |
| High-purity iron ore | Added 2024 | Direct-reduced iron for low-emission steelmaking |
| Indium | Critical | Indium tin oxide (ITO) for touchscreens; Flat panel displays |
| Lithium | Priority | Lithium-ion batteries for EVs; Energy storage systems |
| Magnesium | Critical | Aluminum alloy production; Automotive die casting |
| Manganese | Critical | Steel production (ferromanganese); Lithium-ion battery cathodes |
| Molybdenum | Critical | Steel alloys, catalysts, lubricants |
| Nickel | Priority | Stainless steel production; Lithium-ion battery cathodes |
| Niobium | Critical | High-strength low-alloy steel; Superalloys for jet engines |
| Phosphorus | Added 2024 | Agricultural fertilizers; Animal feed supplements |
| Platinum group metals | Critical | Catalytic converters, fuel cells, hydrogen electrolysers |
| Potash | Critical | Agricultural fertilizers; Industrial chemical production |
| Rare earth elements | Priority | Permanent magnets, electronics, defense systems |
| Scandium | Critical | Aluminum-scandium alloys for aerospace; Solid oxide fuel cells |
| Silicon metal | Added 2024 | Semiconductor chips and electronics; Solar photovoltaic cells |
| Tantalum | Critical | Electronic capacitors; Aerospace superalloys |
| Tellurium | Critical | Cadmium telluride solar cells; Thermoelectric devices |
| Tin | Critical | Solder for electronics; Tinplate for food packaging |
| Titanium | Critical | Aerospace structural components; Titanium dioxide pigment |
| Tungsten | Critical | Cemented carbide cutting tools; Armor-piercing ammunition |
| Uranium | Critical | Nuclear power generation; Nuclear naval propulsion |
| Vanadium | Critical | High-strength steel alloys; Vanadium redox flow batteries |
| Zinc | Critical | Galvanizing steel and iron; Die casting alloys |
What did Canada add in 2024?
- High-purity iron ore for the direct-reduced iron used in low-emission steelmaking.
- Phosphorus, used in fertilizer and in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
- Silicon metal, the starting material for chips and solar cells.
How does Canada's list differ from the U.S. and EU lists?
Canada lists potash and uranium, reflecting its position as the world's largest potash producer and a leading uranium producer. The U.S. added both in 2025, but neither is on the EU list. Cesium is on the Canadian and U.S. lists because the Tanco mine in Manitoba holds the world's largest known pollucite deposit. Canada also lists helium and molybdenum, which the U.S. does not. See the full comparison.
Where are Canada's critical minerals found?
Quebec is rich in lithium, graphite, niobium, titanium, rare earths and silicon, and its hydroelectric power gives low-cost, low-carbon energy for processing. Ontario has cobalt, nickel, chromium and platinum group metals, including the Ring of Fire region. British Columbia produces copper and molybdenum, Saskatchewan holds the potash and uranium operations and is an emerging helium producer, and Newfoundland and Labrador has fluorspar and nickel-cobalt at Voisey's Bay. The Northwest Territories and Yukon contain tungsten, rare earth and cobalt deposits where remoteness and infrastructure are the main hurdles.
What approvals do Canadian critical mineral projects need?
Major projects face federal impact assessment, provincial permitting and the Crown's duty to consult and, where appropriate, accommodate Indigenous peoples under Section 35 of the Constitution Act. The Critical Minerals Strategy includes funding for Indigenous participation, including equity, employment, procurement and revenue sharing.
Sources
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Natural Resources Canada: Government of Canada releases updated Critical Minerals List
Checked against the primary source on 2026-10-11. Related: Canada's six priority minerals.
