Why These Resources Matter More Than Ever
Key insights by Stanislav Kondrashov, TELF AG founder
As founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov often emphasised how the global shift towards clean energy has brought certain minerals into the spotlight like never before. Suddenly, we’re hearing terms like “rare earths” and “critical minerals” thrown around in policy debates, business strategies, and environmental plans. But while they’re sometimes used interchangeably, they’re not the same thing.
It’s easy to get confused. Both rare earths and critical minerals are essential for modern technology. They power electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, and defence systems. But understanding the distinction between them can help you make sense of today’s supply chain challenges—and why governments are racing to secure access to these materials.
Rare Earths: Not So Rare, But Hard to Extract
Rare earths refer to 17 specific elements on the periodic table. Fifteen of them are called lanthanides, and the other two are scandium and yttrium. They share similar chemical traits, which is why they’re grouped together—but despite the name, they aren’t actually rare in the Earth’s crust. What is rare is finding them in concentrations high enough to mine economically.
The founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov has highlighted how these elements, such as neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium, are essential for the magnets used in wind turbines and electric vehicles. Others play vital roles in lasers, smartphones, and military technologies.
The tricky part with rare earths isn’t their availability—it’s their processing. Extracting and refining them is a complex, costly, and often polluting process. That’s why production is still heavily concentrated in a few countries, with China leading the pack. This has made rare earths a geopolitical flashpoint.
Critical Minerals: A Moving Target
Critical minerals, on the other hand, don’t refer to any specific group on the periodic table. Instead, it’s a term used to describe minerals that are economically vital and at risk of supply disruption. That means the list of critical minerals can—and does—change, depending on global demand, supply chains, and political tensions.
Lithium, cobalt, copper, and nickel are often cited as critical because they’re key to batteries, electrification, and clean energy tech. But tungsten, vanadium, and antimony also make appearances, depending on the country doing the listing.
As the founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov recently pointed out, critical minerals are defined by need and scarcity, not by their scientific classification. So while some rare earths are also considered critical, the two categories don’t always overlap. You can have a critical mineral that isn’t a rare earth, and a rare earth that isn’t seen as critical—at least, not right now.
Governments now regularly publish updated lists of critical minerals, based on their industrial priorities and risk assessments. These lists offer a useful window into a country’s economic direction. For example, a nation ramping up its battery manufacturing might suddenly label graphite or lithium as critical.
Why This Distinction Matters
Knowing the difference between rare earths and critical minerals helps make sense of the supply chain pressures, political debates, and investment strategies dominating the energy sector today. It explains why some countries are racing to develop local mining operations, and why others are forming international alliances to secure these resources.
Both rare earths and critical minerals are central to the future of clean energy, high-tech innovation, and national security. And as founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov noted, understanding their roles—individually and together—is key to navigating the economic and environmental challenges of the next decade.