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Critical minerals in Missouri: 36 deposits could boost economy and national security

Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM

MISSOURI — Missouri is home to economically viable deposits of 36 of the 60 critical minerals identified by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as essential to the nation’s economy and security, the state announced this week.

The updated list expands the catalog of critical minerals from 50 in 2022 to 60 this year.

Missouri, which had 30 of the previously listed minerals, now adds five new minerals — copper, lead, phosphate, silicon, and silver — along with scandium, identified through recent geochemical studies, according to a Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) news release.

“Missouri is strategically positioned to become a national leader in developing the domestic supply chains we need to guarantee a reliable source of these critical minerals,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of the Missouri DNR, in the release.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Kathryn Skopec, ozarksfirst.com)

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