Nine Critical Energy Minerals for Investors
July 3, 2024

By  Article & Editing Selin Oğuz Graphics & Design Jennifer West     Zack Aboulazm

Visualized: Nine Critical Energy Minerals for Investors


Emission-free technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, wind turbines, and nuclear reactors are critical to reducing energy-related emissions and fulfilling net zero goals by 2050.


In this graphic, we’ve partnered with Sprott to explore nine minerals crucial for these technologies and their projected compound annual growth rates (CAGR) in global market size from 2022 to 2027.


Identifying the Nine Key Clean Energy Minerals


Sprott has identified the following minerals from the U.S. 2022 Critical Minerals List as fundamental to the energy transition, offering significant financial opportunities for investors as the transition accelerates.

Let’s delve into each one. 


  1. Cobalt: Maximizes the stability and longevity of batteries. Cobalt is part of the chemistry of 63% of EV batteries worldwide.
  2. Copper: Essential for conductivity in electrical infrastructure, including wind, solar, and EV charging stations. In general, renewable energy systems can use up to six times more copper than traditional ones.
  3. Graphite: The largest component of lithium-ion batteries used for EVs and energy storage.
  4. Lithium: An essential component of electrolytes in EV batteries and lithium-based energy storage systems. By 2030, 95% of lithium demand is expected to come from batteries.
  5. Manganese: Used as an electrode in many lithium-ion batteries for EVs.
  6. Nickel: A key element in battery cathodes, offering higher energy density and longer driving ranges for EVs. 
  7. Rare earths: vital component in the magnets used in wind turbines and EVs. 
  8. Silver: Essential for conductivity in solar panels and other electrical infrastructure, possessing the highest electrical and thermal conductivity among all metals.
  9. Uranium: The fuel for nuclear power plants that can provide dispatchable and low-carbon power to the electricity grid. Nuclear power ranks as the second-largest contributor to low-carbon electricity production.


Projected Growth for Clean Energy Minerals 


With demand escalating for clean energy technologies, demand for their essential components is also expected to grow, offering avenues for investors to capitalize on the dynamic clean energy market.


Below we list the projected compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for each of these minerals, which is their average annual growth in market size over a specified period, taking into account the effects of compounding.


Mineral Compound Annual Growth Rate (2022–2027P)
Lithium 25% (Source: ReportLinker)
Silver 9% (ReportLinker)
Rare Earths 8% (Technavio)
Uranium 7% (Technavio)
Copper 6% (Technavio)
Cobalt 6% (360 Markets and Updates)
Graphite 6% (IndustryARC)
Nickel 5% (Market Research Future)
Manganese 4% (IndustryARC)

With an average projected CAGR of over 8% through to 2027, driven especially by demand for lithium, silver, and rare earth metals, investors are taking note.


Copyright © 2024 Visual Capitalist

November 18, 2025
TORONTO, Nov. 18, 2025 - VVC Exploration Corporation, dba VVC Resources ("VVC" or the "Company") (TSX-V: VVC; OTC: VVCVF) announces that, after a project review, it has strategically restructured its mining projects in Mexico. This project review encompassed multiple considerations, including ongoing maintenance costs, permitting authorizations, political climate, safety, upside potential and financeability of each project and probability of achieving the projects potential. After this review, the Company has decided to: Exit the Gloria Copper Project located near Samalayuca, State of Chihuahua, Mexico. This long-standing project of the Company is expensive to maintain and is in an area that has become more politically volatile with uncertain safety. The geological potential of the project is not in question, but the ability to achieve that potential is unclear. Focus all mining exploration activity on the Cumeral Gold Project. Cumeral is the Company’s highly prospective gold project in north central Sonora Mexico. This project, while not as advanced as the Gloria Copper Project, has a huge upside potential. It is in an area where there is strong local support for the project and a higher likelihood of permitting and implementation success. The Cumeral Gold Project is a 1,665-hectare property in northern Sonora near Imuris which exhibits quartz-vein–hosted gold in a detachment-fault/orogenic setting with a documented NNW–SSE mineralized trend of ~4 km. Historical work reported that ~36% of 407 grab/chip samples assayed 0.1–10 g/t Au; soil surveys outlined additional anomalies (47 samples >0.020 ppm Au); and air-track drilling intersected broad, near-surface intervals of 0.21–0.44 g/t Au over 6–26 m in key target areas. The Company will continue activities on the Cumeral Gold Project. Rationale and Next Steps The Company’s decision reflects consideration of cost discipline, safety and risk management. The exit from the Gloria Copper Project will reduce future cash outlays for care, maintenance, and permitting at amid uncertainty over permit viability and broader political conditions in Chihuahua State. Capital and management resources will be reallocated to the Cumeral Gold Project exploration, and to development of the Company’s helium/natural gas project in the Central Kansas Uplift (CKU) Project where existing infrastructure and near-term activities offer a clearer path to execution. « There are opportunity costs in every project, » said Jim Culver, CEO. « Exiting the Gloria Copper Project will allow the Company to concentrate resources on projects with an obvious direct and timely route to advancing development while maintaining discipline on risk and spending. » About VVC Resources VVC engages in the exploration, development, and management of natural resources - specializing in scarce and increasingly valuable materials needed to meet the growing, high-tech demands of industries such as manufacturing, technology, medicine, space travel, and the expanding green economy. Our portfolio includes a diverse set of multi-asset high-growth projects, comprising: Helium & industrial gas production in western U.S.; Gold & associated metals operations in northern Mexico; and Strategic investments in carbon sequestration and other green energy technologies. VVC is a Canada-based, publicly-traded company on the TSXV (TSX-V:VVC). To learn more, visit our website at: www.vvcresources.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 
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October 9, 2025
TORONTO, Oct. 09, 2025 - VVC Exploration Corporation, dba VVC Resources ("VVC" or the "Company") (TSX-V: VVC; OTC: VVCVF) announces that Plateau Helium Corporation ("PHC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has completed the purchase of the Ithaca 1-17 well together with approximately five miles of associated pipeline located in Rush county, Kansas in a prolific helium, gas and oil area known as the Central Kansas Uplift (CKU). The acquisition was initiated in April 2025 and PHC took possession in July 2025. As previously disclosed in our May 30, June 26 and September 2025 MD&As, PHC has a 50% operating interest in the well. The CKU Project targets helium-rich natural gas within multiple stacked reservoirs in Rush and Pawnee Counties, Kansas, where PHC has now assembled a meaningful lease position, acquired one producing property (Ithaca 1-17) and associated gas gathering system, and identified multiple development well locations. The acquisition of an existing gas gathering system serves to lower initial development cost while expediting the time needed to commence gas/helium sales and provide cashflow. « Building on a producing asset while securing midstream capacity is a practical way to de-risk our development program in the CKU, » said Bill Kerrigan, President of VVC and PHC. « The Ithaca 1-17 well and pipeline give us a backbone to bring wells online more efficiently. » About VVC Resources VVC engages in the exploration, development, and management of natural resources - specializing in scarce and increasingly valuable materials needed to meet the growing, high-tech demands of industries such as manufacturing, technology, medicine, space travel, and the expanding green economy. Our portfolio includes a diverse set of multi-asset, high-growth projects, comprising: Helium & industrial gas production in western U.S.; Gold & associated metals operations in northern Mexico; and Strategic investments in carbon sequestration and other green energy technologies. VVC is a Canada-based, publicly-traded company on the TSXV (TSX-V:VVC). To learn more, visit our website at: www.vvcresources.com.  Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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