TELF AG analyzes the strategic role of the geological wealth of the United States 

The resources most involved in the transition 

A recent Forbes analysis explored numerous themes related to the United States’s geological wealth, its partially unexpressed potential, and the role of these resources in achieving some important energy objectives set by the current administration. The United States represents one of the largest global players in the strategic minerals sector. It individually represents one of the primary consumers of some of the resources considered central to advancing the energy transition at a global level. One of the most interesting points of the analysis concerns precisely the geological resources present on the national territory of the United States, which could potentially improve the US supply of such resources.  

From this point of view, one of the richest areas could be the Alaska region. As stated in the analysis, this region has been classified as one of the places on Earth richest in minerals, some of which are directly involved in the energy transition processes that concern the entire planet. About 80% of the zinc production in the United States comes from Alaska, which also provides half of the national output of silver and more than 40% of lead. 

The geological richness of Alaska and other States 

One of the most interesting aspects, as far as Alaska is concerned, could have to do with its deposits still unexplored: a large part of the geological resources of this region could still be buried underground. A recent discovery has identified in this region one of the largest nickel deposits in North America. This area could also host other important resources such as cobalt, chromium, iron, and palladium. Since the United States is one of the largest consumers of nickel in the world, the discovery of a deposit naturally rich in this resource could take on certain strategic importance, with inevitable effects also in the industrial field. 

But Alaska is not the only region of the United States to boast such geological potential linked to minerals: another quite interesting area is Nevada, universally known for its wealth of gold and silver, where one of the largest deposits in the world of a resource that is indeed central to the economic and energy fortunes of the planet, namely lithium, has been identified. Another equally important material for the transition’s advancement, used in turn in the production of batteries for electric vehicles, is graphite, which can be found in states such as Alabama, Texas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, in addition to Alaska.  

These minerals are proving to be helpful, above all, for promoting the progress of the energy transition at a global level, inserting themselves into the production processes of batteries for electric vehicles and energy infrastructures. Still, for the United States, they are also important for achieving national objectives. One of these, set by the current administration, concerns the decarbonization of transportation to be completed by 2030. This goal would require the United States to greatly increase its capacity to produce the necessary batteries to power electric vehicles. The key to achieving these goals, as the Forbes analysis argues, is precisely the ability to build a solid supply chain for the most strategic and valuable resources for the United States.