CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS & FEEDSTOCKS
Critical Raw Materials & Feedstocks Factsheets
Explore selected Critical Raw Materials and key industrial feedstocks that support resilient European value chains, advanced technology uptake and the transition towards a greener, more digital and competitive European industry.
Critical Raw Materials for resilient European value chains
A practical tool to help identify key material dependencies, anticipate supply risks and assess alternative sourcing options.
Feedstocks for resilient and sustainable industrial value chains
A practical tool to better understand key feedstocks, monitor supply dependencies and consider lower-carbon alternatives.
Explore the selected Critical Raw Materials
Browse the materials below to discover the role of each Critical Raw Material, its main industrial applications and its relevance to European supply-chain resilience.
Each section provides a brief overview of the material and access to a dedicated downloadable extract from the complete factsheet, including key information on its value chain, supply risks, substitution opportunities and potential alternative sourcing channels.
Antimony (Sb)
Antimony is used in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, alloys, plastics, PET catalysts and selected semiconductor applications. It is particularly relevant to fire safety, transport components and high-tech value chains.
Arsenic (As)
Bauxite/Aluminium (Al)
Bauxite is the main ore used to produce aluminium, a lightweight material essential for transport, aerospace, construction, packaging, electrical systems and high-tech engineering.
Beryllium (Be)
Beryllium is a lightweight and stiff metal used in aerospace, defence, telecommunications, electronics and high-performance components thanks to its thermal and electrical properties.
Cobalt (Co)
Cobalt is essential for rechargeable batteries, superalloys, catalysts, magnets and hard materials. It plays a major role in electric vehicles, energy storage and aerospace applications.
Copper (Cu)
Copper is widely used in electrical power, renewable energy systems, transport, electronics, telecommunications and industrial applications due to its high electrical and thermal conductivity.
Fluorspar (CaF₂)
Fluorspar is a key source of fluorine and is used in fluorinated chemicals, aluminium production, steelmaking, batteries, polymers and other industrial value chains.
Gallium (Ga)
Gallium is used in semiconductors, radio-frequency components, LEDs, laser diodes and photovoltaic technologies. It is important for digital, defence and clean-energy applications.
Helium (He)
Helium is a noble gas used in cryogenics, medical imaging, aerospace, electronics manufacturing, leak detection and high-tech industrial processes where very low temperatures are required.
Lithium (Li)
Lithium is critical for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, portable electronics and energy storage systems, making it central to the green and digital transition.
Magnesium metal (Mg)
Magnesium is a lightweight metal used in automotive, aerospace and aluminium alloy applications. It supports lightweighting strategies that can reduce energy consumption and emissions.
Manganese (Mn)
Manganese is used in steelmaking, aluminium alloys, batteries and chemical applications. It is relevant for mobility, industrial production and energy storage value chains.
Natural graphite & graphene (C)
Natural graphite and graphene are carbon-based materials used in batteries, advanced materials, composites, electronics and high-performance industrial applications.
Nickel (Ni)
Nickel is used in stainless steel, superalloys and battery-grade materials for lithium-ion batteries. It is important for electric mobility, aerospace and energy technologies.
Platinum group metals (PGMs: Ir, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru)
Platinum group metals are used in catalysts, electronics, hydrogen technologies, fuel cells, automotive systems and high-performance industrial applications.
Rare earth elements (REE)
Rare earth elements are essential for permanent magnets, electronics, electric motors, wind turbines, defence systems and other advanced technologies.
Scandium (Sc)
Scandium is used in aluminium-scandium alloys, aerospace components, advanced materials and selected energy technologies due to its ability to improve strength and performance.
Silicon metal (Si)
Silicon metal is used in aluminium alloys, silicones, semiconductors, solar photovoltaics and chemical applications. It supports both digital technologies and renewable energy systems.
Titanium (Ti)
Titanium is valued for its strength, low density and corrosion resistance. It is widely used in aerospace, defence, biomedical applications, transport and high-performance components.
White phosphorous / elemental phosphorus (P)
Elemental phosphorus is used in chemicals, flame retardants, fertilisers, detergents and industrial applications. It is important for both agriculture and specialised material value chains.
Explore the selected Feedstocks
Explore three key feedstocks that underpin the chemical industry and a wide range of downstream manufacturing value chains.
The sections below provide an overview of petrochemicals derived from naphtha and natural gas, methanol, and hydrogen, covering their industrial relevance, value chains, production landscape, supply dependencies and future development.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is used in chemical production, refining, steelmaking and fuel cells, while renewable hydrogen can help decarbonise energy-intensive and hard-to-abate industrial value chains.
Methanol
Methanol is a versatile platform chemical used to produce formaldehyde, acetic acid, polymers, plastics, silicones, solvents and fuels. It is also gaining importance as an alternative marine fuel, a hydrogen carrier and a building block for lower-carbon chemical production.
Petrochemicals - Naphtha and Natural Gas
Naphtha and natural gas are used to manufacture plastics, synthetic fibres, resins, rubbers, coatings and many other materials required in automotive, aerospace, electronics and manufacturing value chains.
Building more resilient European value chains
Reliable access to raw materials and industrial feedstocks is essential for Europe’s competitiveness, strategic autonomy and green and digital transitions.
By summarising key applications, supply risks, sourcing alternatives and future market developments, the IDEALIST factsheets help SMEs identify vulnerabilities and strengthen their procurement strategies.
Download the complete factsheets below to explore the full analysis.