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

April 20, 2026
TORONTO, April 20, 2026 - VVC Exploration Corporation, dba VVC Resources, (“VVC”), (TSX-V:VVC and OTCQC:VVCVF) announces the following: Option Grant The Directors granted incentive stock options under its stock option plan, to officers, directors and consultants of the Company, to purchase up to an aggregate of 14,750,000 common shares, representing 2.58% of the outstanding shares of the Company. The stock options are exercisable at a price of CA$0.05 per share expiring April 20, 2036. Twenty five percent (25%) of the options granted will vest immediately with the remaining vesting at 25% every six months. The exercise price was fixed at the minimum allowable price by the TSX Venture Exchange policies. The options, granted in accordance with the provisions of the Company's stock option plan, are subject to the TSX Venture Exchange policies and the applicable securities laws. Of the Options granted, 32.2% were to Directors, 37.3% to Officers, 18.6% to Employees and 11.9% to Consultants of the Company.  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.
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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