Critical mineral investment falls 9% despite booming demand in 2025: IEA
Lower investment in critical minerals may constrain future mining and processing supply despite strong demand.
Source →The trace
How it reaches your house.
Starting from Rare-earth elements (NdPr), we walked the supply graph hop by hop to the goods you buy and the companies you own. Each step is the engine’s reasoning, scored for confidence and cited where a source backs it.
First impact
Rare-earth elements (NdPr) →Shortage riskNdPr is a critical, high-dependency input for rare earth magnets, so tighter future NdPr supply should directly constrain magnet output.
94% confidenceSulfuric acid →Prices easeElemental Sulfur (from Oil/Gas Processing)
If weaker investment constrains future critical-mineral mining and processing, sulfuric acid demand from those sectors should soften, reducing demand and pricing for elemental sulfur feedstock.
56% confidenceSulfuric acid →Shortage riskSmelter SO2 off-gas (byproduct acid)
Because this acid stream depends on smelting/refining activity, a pullback in critical-mineral investment can reduce smelter output and make byproduct sulfuric acid scarcer.
Hop 2
Rare earth magnets →Shortage riskNeodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) Oxide/Metal
NdPr oxide/metal is a core magnet feedstock, so tighter critical-mineral investment should squeeze its supply.
90% confidenceRare earth magnets →DelaysRare Earth Ore Mining
Lower critical-mineral investment directly delays mine development and ore output.
86% confidenceRare earth magnets →Shortage riskDy is a high-performance magnet input with limited substitution, so upstream investment cuts can tighten supply.
Hop 3
Dysprosium (Dy) Metal →Prices riseDysprosium metal is a critical input to rare earth magnets, so constrained Dy supply should transmit as higher magnet costs and tighter availability.
95% confidenceNeodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) Oxide/Metal →Shortage riskNdPr oxide/metal is a critical 98%-dependent input to rare earth magnets, so constrained NdPr supply should make magnet output scarcer.
93% confidenceTerbium (Tb) Metal →Shortage riskTerbium is a critical input to rare earth magnets, so tighter Tb metal supply directly constrains magnet production.
Where it lands
What you buy, and what you own.
Goods you buy
Rare earth magnets · Sulfuric acid
Companies you may own
No named companies on this path.
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