Search USGS⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Industrial Minerals”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
USGS1963

Geology of the salt deposits and the salt industry of northern Chile

The study of the salt deposits of northern Chile is a cooperative project of the Institute de Investigaciones Geologicas (IIG) of Chile and the United Nations Special Fund and is part of a mineral resources survey, undertaken by these two organizations, of selected regions of northern Chile, during 1960-1963. The writer, an employee of the United States Geological Survey, worked in cooperation with the IIG and its predecessor organization, the Seccion Geologica of the Corporacion de Foment de la Produccion, during the period December 1954-March 1962, under the auspices of the United States Technical Aid program (AID). The work on salt deposits, which was started during 1961, has been under the auspices of the United Nations since April 1962, during completion of field work and preparation of this report. This report summarizes the data gathered during the field investigation, including information on reserves, production, and composition of salts supplied by private companies and government bureaus. As such, it is in the nature of a progress report, lacking: 1) a comprehensive review of the literature which, at least in regard to the well-known nitrate deposits, is extensive; 2) completion of laboratory investigations of chemical, mineralogical, and isotopic composition; and 3) a review of theories of origin of the salts, mainly nitrate. The salt deposits of northern Chile comprise the well-known nitrate deposits as well as salars that have been exploited principally for sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, and borate; bedded salt deposits and salt domes, and secondary salt deposits formed in the oxidation zone of metalliferous sulfide deposits. This report will discuss the nitrate deposits and associated sodium sulfate deposits, salars, and those secondary deposits, such as aluminum-magnesium sulfates or iron sulfates, which have been exploited for chemical use. Bedded salt deposits and salt domes, consisting mainly of halite and evidently restricted to one small area, were not studied. The numerous and important secondary copper deposits, as well as other metalliferous salt deposits, are beyond the scope of the report.

northern Chile↗
USGS1977

Entropy, materials, and posterity

Materials and energy are the interdependent feedstocks of economic systems, and thermodynamics is their moderator. It costs energy to transform the dispersed minerals of Earth's crust into ordered materials and structures. And it costs materials to collect and focus the energy to perform work - be it from solar, fossil fuel, nuclear, or other sources. The greater the dispersal of minerals sought, the more energy is required to collect them into ordered states. But available energy can be used once only. And the ordered materials of industrial economies become disordered with time. They may be partially reordered and recycled, but only at further costs in energy. Available energy everywhere degrades to bound states and order to disorder - for though entropy may be juggled it always increases. Yet industry is utterly dependent on low entropy states of matter and energy, while decreasing grades of ore require ever higher inputs of energy to convert them to metals, with ever increasing growth both of entropy and environmental hazard. Except as we may prize a thing for its intrinsic qualities - beauty, leisure, love, or gold - low-entropy is the only thing of real value. It is worth whatever the market will bear, and it becomes more valuable as entropy increases. It would be foolish of suppliers to sell it more cheaply or in larger amounts than their own enjoyment of life requires, whatever form it may take. For this reason, and because of physical constraints on the availability of all low-entropy states, the recent energy crises is only the first of a sequence of crises to be expected in energy and materials as long as current trends continue. The apportioning of low-entropy states in a modern industrial society is achieved more or less according to the theory of competitive markets. But the rational powers of this theory suffer as the world grows increasingly polarized into rich, over-industrialized nations with diminishing resource bases and poor, supplier nations with little industry. The theory also discounts posterity, the more so as population density and percapita rates of consumption continue to grow. A new social, economic, and ecologic norm that leads to population control, conservation, and an apportionment of low-entropy states across the generations is needed to assure to posterity the options that properly belong to it as an important but voiceless constituency of the collectivity we call mankind. ?? 1977 Ferdinand Enke Verlag Stuttgart.

Geologische Rundschau↗
USGS1972

Geology and water resources of the Bitterroot Valley, southwestern Montana, with a section on chemical quality of water

The Bitterroot Valley is a Late Cretaceous structural basin that was partly filled at its deepest point by more than 1,640 feet of Tertiary sediments. These sediments grade valleyward from coarse colluvial deposits along the edges of the valley to fine-grained deposits and then to coarse channel deposits of the ancestral Bitterroot River near the center of the valley. Beneath the flood plain and low terraces of the present Bitterroot River, about 40 feet of Quaternary alluvium overlies the Tertiary sediments. Each spring and summer, at rates greatly exceeding discharge, water infiltrates to the ground-water reservoir in the Tertiary and Quaternary rocks. During the fall and winter, water is released from storage. Net recharge in the spring of 1958 and 1959 was about 90,000 and 82,000 acre-feet, relatively. Net discharge during the rest of each year was about 90,000 and 76,000 acre-feet, respectively. Some surface water available for recharge during high runoff each rejected. During the 1958 and 1959 water years, total surface-water inflow about 1.7 million and 2.0 million acre-feet, respectively. Consumptive use during these water years was about 450,000 and' 400,000 acre-feet, respectively. Move pumping from the ground-water reservoir would provide additional storage space for peak runoff and would increase the potential consumptive use in the valley. Additional wells, capable of yielding more than 250 gpm (gallons per minute), can be constructed on the flood plain of the Bitterroot River and on some of the adjacent low terraces, especially those east of the river. Near Corvallis, on a low terrace, wells capable of yielding 1,000 gpm or more can be constructed. Wells capable of yielding 50 to 250 gpm can be constructed on many of the alluvial fans of the tributary streams. In the remaining area, wells will generally yield only enough water for domestic and stock use. From the hydrologic standpoint, the best use of ground water for irrigation is conjunctive use with surface water. Surface water is adequate early in the season and can be distributed throughout the area. As shortages occur, ground water can be used in areas where it is available in sufficient quantity, allowing the surface water to be used in areas of shortage where ground water is not available. Water in the Bitterroot Valley is of satisfactory chemical quality for domestic, stock, municipal, and most industrial uses. Surface water is softer, as a rule, and contains less dissolved solids than the ground water. Streams heading in the Sapphire Mountains are more mineralized than those heading in the Bitterroot Mountains. Bitterroot River water in October 1955 was about twice as mineralized at Florence, near the outlet of the valley, as it was at Darby, near the inlet, but the difference is not significant in relation to .the usefulness of the water.

Montana↗
USGS2012

Review and update of the applications of organic petrology: Part 2, geological and multidisciplinary applications

The present paper is focused on organic petrology applied to unconventional and multidisciplinary investigations and is the second part of a two part review that describes the geological applications and uses of this branch of earth sciences. Therefore, this paper reviews the use of organic petrology in investigations of: (i) ore genesis when organic matter occurs associated with mineralization; (ii) the behavior of organic matter in coal fires (self-heating and self-combustion); (iii) environmental and anthropogenic impacts associated with the management and industrial utilization of coal; (iv) archeology and the nature and geographical provenance of objects of organic nature such as jet, amber, other artifacts and coal from archeological sites; and (v) forensic science connected with criminal behavior or disasters. This second part of the review outlines the most recent research and applications of organic petrology in those fields.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2024

Mass-balance-consistent geological stock accounting: A new approach toward sustainable management of mineral resources

Global resource extraction raises concerns about environmental pressures and the security of mineral supply. Strategies to address these concerns depend on robust information on natural resource endowments, and on suitable methods to monitor and model their changes over time. However, current mineral resources and reserves reporting and accounting workflows are poorly suited for addressing mineral depletion or answering questions about the long-term sustainable supply. Our integrative review finds that the lack of a robust theoretical concept and framework for mass-balance (MB)-consistent geological stock accounting hinders systematic industry-government data integration, resource governance, and strategy development. We evaluate the existing literature on geological stock accounting, identify shortcomings of current monitoring of mine production, and outline a conceptual framework for MB-consistent system integration based on material flow analysis (MFA). Our synthesis shows that recent developments in Earth observation, geoinformation management, and sustainability reporting act as catalysts that make MB-consistent geological stock accounting increasingly feasible. We propose first steps for its implementation and anticipate that our perspective as “resource realists” will facilitate the integration of geological and anthropogenic material systems, help secure future mineral supply, and support the global sustainability transition.

Environmental Science and Technology↗
USGS2005

The World Coal Quality Inventory: A status report

National and international policy makers and industry require accurate information on coal, including coal quality data, to make informed decisions regarding international import needs and export opportunities, foreign policy, technology transfer policies, foreign investment prospects, environmental and health assessments, and byproduct use and disposal issues. Unfortunately, the information needed is generally proprietary and does not exist in the public domain. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in conjunction with partners in about 60 countries, is developing a digital compilation of worldwide coal quality. The World Coal Quality Inventory (WoCQI) will contain coal quality information for samples obtained from major coal beds in countries having significant coal production, as well as from many countries producing smaller volumes of coal, with an emphasis on coals currently being burned. The information that will be incorporated includes, but is not limited to, proximate and ultimate analyses; sulfur-form data; major, minor, and trace element analysis; and semi-quantitative analyses of minerals, modes of occurrence, and petrography. The coal quality information will eventually be linked to a Geographic Information System (GIS) that shows the coal basins and sample locations along with geologic, land use, transportation, industrial, and cultural information. The WoCQI will be accessible on the USGS web page and new data added periodically. This multi-national collaboration is developing global coal quality data that contain a broad array of technologic, economic, and environmental parameters, which should help to ensure the efficient and environmentally compatible use of global coal resources in the 21st century.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2020

Geologic and mineral map (modified from the 1975 original map compilation by A.S. Shadchinev and others) and hyperspectral surface materials maps of the Ghorband, Salang, and Panjsher River Basins; Kapisa, Panjsher, Parwan, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan

Introduction The geologic map and cross sections are a redrafted and modified version of the Geologic map and map of mineral resources of the basins of Ghorband, Salang, and Panjsher ; located in the Kapisa, Panjsher, Parwan, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan. The original map and cross sections are contained in an unpublished Soviet report no. 1162A (Shadchinev and others, 1975) prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Mines and Industries of the Royal Government of Afghanistan, in Kabul during 1975, under contract no. 55–184/17500. This redrafted map consists of parts of quadrangle map sheets 503–F, 504–C, 504–D, 504–E, and 504–F shown on an index map that can be found on the original 1:100,000-scale map by Shadchinev and others (1975). The redrafted map and cross sections illustrate the mineral deposits and geologic structure of the Ghorband, Salang, and Panjsher River Basins. Because there were no location coordinates provided on the original Soviet map, the map was registered to drainage patterns identified by contours from the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM). The end result can only be considered a best fit for the map extend, and some features may not be positioned in their correct geographic location. The redrafted geologic map and cross sections reproduce the topology of rock units, contacts, and faults of the original Soviet map and cross sections, and includes minor modifications based on our examination of the originals. Table 1, provided on both map sheets 1 and 2, shows mineral commodity locations also from the original Soviet map. However, because of the poor quality of the original map, some map features could not be identified and some may be misinterpreted. Further, we have attempted to translate the original Russian terminology and rock classifications into modern English geologic usage as literally as possible without changing any genetic or process-oriented implications in the original rock-unit descriptions. We also use the rock-unit age designations from the original maps, however, rock-unit colors and symbols differ from the colors and symbols shown on the original version. Unit colors were selected according to the color and pattern scheme of the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (http://www.ccgm.org). Unit symbols were assigned based on the geologic age and unit descriptions provided on the original Soviet map. Elevations on the cross sections are derived from the original topography and may not match the Global GDEM topography used on the redrafted geologic map of this report.

Baghlan, Kapisa, Panjsher, Parwan↗
USGS2010

Mineral resource of the month: platinum group metals

The article focuses on platinum group metals (PGMs) and their properties. According to the author, PGMs, which include iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium, are among the rarest mineral commodities in the Earth's crust. PGMs are primarily used as catalytic converters that clean harmful exhaust from vehicle engines. They are also used in the chemical industry as catalysts in the production of nitric acid and in the petroleum refining industry.

Earth↗
USGS1989

National assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources, USGS-MMS working paper

In 1981, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) published the results of a 1980 national assessment of undiscovered oil and natural gas resources for the United States, including the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The publication, USGS Circular 860, was entitled "Estimates of Undiscovered Recoverable Conventional Resources of Oil and Gas in the United States" (hereafter referred to as Circular 860). The assessment provided an update to the previous USGS estimates for the Nation (published in 1975 as Circular 725). In 1982, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) was formed from a portion of USGS and other Department of the Interior (DOI) organizations for resource management of Federal offshore areas and for management of revenues collected from onshore and offshore Federal mineral leases. The HMS published estimates of undiscovered oil and natural gas resources for the OCS in 1985 in a report entitled "Estimates of Undiscovered, Economically Recoverable Oil and Gas Resources for the Outer Continental Shelf as of July 1984" (OCS Report MMS 85-0012). The agencies, both part of DOI, agreed in 1985 to conduct a cooperative assessment of the entire United States to estimate undiscovered oil and natural gas based upon a common date. These working papers provide estimates for the onshore and offshore geologic provinces of the Nation and summarize the methodologies, assumptions, and data utilized in the development of those estimates. (Figs. 1.5 and 1.6 are index maps showing the geologic provinces.) The methodologies, assumptions, and data differ from those used in the previous assessments, thereby making direct comparisons between estimates of this and previous assessments difficult to interpret. Therefore, these working papers have been prepared as a means of eliciting comments from peer scientific, academic, and industry experts in the estimation of oil and natural gas resources.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1959

Occurrences of alunite, pyrophyllite, and clays in the Cerro La Tiza area, Puerto Rico

A deposit of hydrothermally altered rocks in the Cerro La Tiza area located between the towns of Comerio and Aguas Buenas, approximately 25 kilometers southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was mapped and studied to determine the principal minerals, their extent distribution and origin, and the possibility of their economic utilization, especially in Puerto Rico. The Cerro la Tiza area is about 7 1 / 2 kilometers long, has an average width of about 1 1 / 2 kilometers and embraces a total area of approximately 15 square kilometers. The principal mineralized zone, a dike-like mass of light-colored rocks surrounded by dark-colored volcanic country rocks, occupies the crest and upper slopes of east-trending Cerro La Tiza ridge and is believed to be of Late Cretaceous or Eocene age. This zone is approximately 5,300 meters long, 430 meters wide and has an area of approximately 225 hectares (556 acres). The rocks of the mineralized zone are of mixed character and consist mainly of massive quartzose rocks and banded quartz-alunite rocks closely associated with foliated pyrophyllitic, sericitic and clayey rocks. The principal minerals in probably order of abundance are quartz, alunite, pyrophyllite, kaolin group clays (kaolinite and halloysite) and sericite. Minerals of minor abundance are native sulfure, diaspore, svanbergite (?), sunyite (?), hematite, goethite, pyrite, rutile (?) and very small quantities of unidentified minerals. The mineralized zone has broken down to deposits of earth-rock debris of Quaternary age that cover much of the slopes and flanks of Cerro La Tiza. This debris consists generally of fragments and boulders with a very large size range embedded in a clayey matrix. The distribution of the earth-rock debris with respect to the present topography and drainage suggests that it may have undergone at least two cycles of erosion. Underlying the earth-rock debris and completely enclosing the mineralized zone are country rocks of probably Late Cretaceous age. These consist principally of low flows and volcanic and flow breccias but contain thin interbedded siltstones and sandstones. The lavas are generally predominant at the western end of the area and the breccias at the eastern end. The mineralized zone and the country rocks are sheared along two predominant directions that are approximately N 70 degrees E and N 70 degrees W. The ridge of Cerro La Tiza appears to be a broad shear zone through which hydrothermal emanations gained access to the country rocks. The emanations are believed to have originated from intrusive rocks that probably underlie the area. The surrounding area contains both large and small exposed intrusive bodies. The largest one is the San Lorenzo batholith of Late Cretaceous or Eocene age whose exposed northwest edge is approximately 19 kilometers southeast of the eastern end of the Cerro La Tiza area. Other zones of hydrothermally altered rocks were discovered along a mineralized belt extending eastward from Cerro La Tiza through the Rio Gurabo Valley nearly to the Vieques Passage bordering the east coast of Puerto Rico. Other zones were discovered north and south of this belt and still others were found circumventing the San Lorenzo batholith. The most abundant minerals of the mineralized zone can be exploited for economic utilization in Puerto Rico. Alunite can be utilized in the manufacture of aluminum sulfate for water purification. It can also be used in the manufacture of alumina refractory materials. Pyrophyllite can be used as a carrier for insecticides and fungicides. It can also be utilized for the manufacture of ceramic products, as a filler in the soap industry and as a carrier for paint pigments. Kaolinite can be used in the ceramic industry and in the manufacture of glass as a substitute for feldspar. Halloysite might be utilized as a catalyst support in the cracking of petroleum. Tonnages of reserve ore on Cerro La Tiza are calculated to be 1,590,000 inferred short tons (1,440,000,000 inferred metric tons) of mixed minerals. These tonnages are based on the assumption that the depth of the mineralized zone is one-half of the exposed width. The deposit is well situated for open pit mining, but because of the existing cover of earth-rock debris, soil foliage, exploration should proceed exploitation for better determination of the most promising areas containing the best concentrations of the minerals sought.

Cerro La Tiza↗
USGS1981

Hard mineral resources around the U.S continental margin

The territorial waters surrounding the United States contain vast quantities of hard mineral resources. Some, such as sand and gravel in the New York Bight, Beaufort Sea, portions of southern California, and submerged lands near Hawaii are relatively well known and characterized by local need and immediate mining potential with available technology. Commoditie of interest to industry and having nearterm economic potential that might require new or innovative technology, inlcude phosphorites such as those in the south eastern Atlantic margin, and manganese nodules on the Blake Plateau (which have potential for catalyst material, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and platinum). Commodities having significant potential, but which are poorly known and which may require innovative recovery technology, include chrome, gold, platinum, and tin placer deposits, with special emphasis on the continental margins of northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska; rock salt and evaporite minerals in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic; titanium and other heavy minerals in the Atlantic continental margin, and calcium carbonate. A. U.S. Department of the Interior moratorium on offshore leasing in federal waters has existed since 1968. Leasing and regulatory systems will be required to begin commercial mining or intensive exploration of the above resources

Conference Paper↗
USGS1996

An examination of organic/carbonate-bound metals in bottom sediments of Bayou Trepagnier, Louisiana

To assess potential impact of metals on the biosphere in bottom sediments, forms were determined for selected metals in a southeastern Louisiana bayou, Bayou (B.) Trepagnier, which has been impacted by industrial activity at its head by a manufacturing complex (MC). Ten pairs of cores along the length of the bayou allowed variation with distance to be studied. Sequential extractions provided data on five chemical partitioning phases for subsamples from each of the cores. Results show that, beyond the mineral residue phase (phase 6 of the extractions) the organic/carbonate phase (phase 4 of the extractions) generally contains the highest concentrations of metals. This paper focuses on phase 4. In addition, metals in phase 4 show significant downstream gradients, though concentrations towards the mouth do not generally appear to differ significantly from those at a control site outside of the bayou. Data were also examined for interrelationships, and high correlation coefficients were the impetus for moving to a multivariate statistical method, polytopic vector analysis (PVA). Six end-members (EMs) were produced. EMs 2, 5, and 6 have high relative proportions of anthropogenic metals and are observed in highest proportions upstream, near the MC. These EMs may reflect industrial input from the MC. EM 3 contains significant calcium, magnesium, and manganese, with minor amounts of lead and barium, and is related to input from nearby Lake Ponchartrain since it increases in weight downstream. EMs 1 and 4 are composed of components commonly found in detrital minerals (e.g., iron, aluminum, magnesium, manganese, and silicon) and are probably not the product of anthropogenic influence. For anthropogenically-weighted end-members (EMs 2, 5, and 6) there appears to be little difference between weights at the mouth of the bayou and weights at the control site outside the bayou.

Louisiana↗
USGS1953

Water supply of the Birmingham area, Alabama

Sufficient water is available in the streams of the area surrounding Birmingham to supply any foreseeable demand; however, to utilize these streams impounding reservoirs and rather long supply lines will be required. Moderate supplies of ground water are available from wells, springs, and mines. The average water use in the area, not including reclaimed and recirculated water, was about 157 mgd during 1951. About 55 mgd was used for domestic or commercial purposes, and 102 mgd was used for industrial purposes. The .quantity of water withdrawn would have to be much greater if a considerable amount of reclaimed and recirculated water had not been used. The Birmingham water-supply systems are used at almost full capacity, and plans are being considered by the city to expand its supply greatly. An estimated 4 mgd of ground water from wells and springs is used for municipal supplies, and 8 mgd is used for industrial purposes. Smaller amounts of ground water are used for irrigation and rural supply. Individual springs in the area are capable of yielding as much as 750 gpm and wells as much as 500 gpm. Some water from worked and abandoned coal and iron mines is used for .public and industrial supplies. One of the conclusions reached by the ground-water study is that ground water has not been fully developed in wells and springs of the area and that mine water which would have to be treated for most municipal and industrial purposes is a potential source of water. Generally, the surface water in the Birmingham. area is of better quality than ground water. Surface water is low in dissolved mineral matter and is extremely soft. Some of the streams carry excessive quantities of iron. Village and Valley Creeks carry some surface pollution making the water unsuitable for many uses. Ground water in this area is usually low in color and ranges in temperature from 62 ? to 72 ?F. Water from limestone, dolomite, and chert usually is moderately to extremely hard. Calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate are the predominant constituents. The quantity of iron in ground water from most of the aquifers is low, except from the Pottsville formation. The Floyd shale and the Parkwood formation yield sodium bicarbonate waters high in sulfate and low in calcium, magnesium, chloride, and nitrate. Ground water from the Pottsville formation is more variable in quality than water from other formations in the area. Water samples from the mine shafts yielding from this formation were .highly mineralized and extremely, hard.

Circular↗
USGS1956

Saline-water resources of Texas

Large quantities of saline water are available in the world, both on the surface and underground; however, these waters have not been studied extensively as sources of potable water. Saline water is defined herein as water containing more than 1,000 parts per million of dissolved solids, or, with certain mineralized irrigation waters whose exact dissolved solids content is not known, water containing more than 60 percent sodium. Saline ground water occurs as connate water or other saline water that entered an aquifer in the geologic past and has not been flushed from the aquifer; as the result of solution of soluble materials in aquifers by percolating ground water; as a result of salt-water encroachment into aquifers which are in hydrologic connection with saline waters; or as the result of concentration by evaporation, especially in the vicinity of playa lakes. Surface water may become saline as a result of seepage of highly mineralized ground water; solution of salts from rocks over which the streams flow; intrusion of sea water in tidal reaches of a stream; and discharge of saline wastes from industrial operations. Most of the aquifers in Texas contain saline water in some parts, and a few are capable of producing large quantities of saline water. Of the early Paleozoic formations, the Hickory sandstone member of the Riley formation of Cambrian age and the Ellenburger group of Ordovician age are potential sources of small to moderate supplies of saline water in parts of central and west-central Texas.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS2009

Mineral resource of the month: gold

The article presents information on the valuable mineral called gold. It states that early civilizations valued gold because of its scarcity, durability and characteristics yellow color. By the late 20th century, gold was used as an industrial metal because of its unique physicochemical properties. The U.S. has several productive deposits of gold, including placer, gold-quartz lode, epithermal and Carlin-type gold deposits.

Earth↗
USGS2019

China’s domestic and foreign influence in the global cobalt supply chain

In addition to increasing interest in the supply risk of minerals produced in China, there is also concern that China’s efforts to mitigate mineral supply risk—through foreign direct investment—may limit mineral availability for other countries in the short-term (due to production capacity constraints). However, little is publicly known about the quantity of global mineral production that is subject to Chinese ownership-influence or how this influence may mitigate China’s import reliance for mineral commodities. In this analysis, we estimate China’s ownership-share of foreign production for cobalt mine and intermediate materials (in the year 2016), as well as the net import reliance of China’s cobalt refinery industry—which is then adjusted to reflect China’s ownership-share of foreign production. First, we find that China’s foreign cobalt ownership is predominantly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the largest source of cobalt mine and intermediate imports for China’s growing cobalt refinery industry. Second, foreign direct investment provided China with ownership-influence over roughly 29% of its cobalt mine and intermediate imports in 2016—which may have reduced the exposure of China’s refinery industry to supply risk from a net import reliance of 97% (on cobalt mine and intermediate materials) to an adjusted net import reliance of 68%. Third, China’s global production share jumps from 2% to 14% (for cobalt mine material) and from 11% to 33% (for cobalt intermediate material) when China’s foreign ownership production share is added to China’s domestic production share. Fourth, over time China’s foreign direct investment appears to have targeted facilities with progressively larger cobalt production capacities. Finally, China’s global production share increases as cobalt material moves downstream (i.e. mine, 14%; intermediate, 33%; refined, 50% in 2016). If a primary motivation of China’s Going Out Strategy is to secure natural resources, then China’s global production share may be reserved for Chinese manufacturers. This analysis may, therefore, indicate that critical mineral availability and supply risk (for countries other than China) may not be confined to minerals produced in China.

Resources Policy↗