Critical Minerals: What Every MBA Needs to Know

Critical minerals are essential for a wide range of applications in energy, electronics, defense, and infrastructure. Demand is expected to rapidly increase in coming years, but mining and refining capacity constraints, geopolitics, and environmental concerns create risks for businesses. Read our primer to learn more about the issues as well as the innovative technologies and startups that are transforming this industry.

Updated 2026. 6 pages. PDF.

Author: Danilo Costa, MBA ’27, EDGE Fellow, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.

Special thanks to: Aaron Dowd, Katharine Greco, and Clara Park.