Minerals Critical to Developing Future Energy Technologies, Their Availability, and Projected Demand

When GAO was asked to identify minerals critical to developing future energy technologies, their availability, and projected demand, it found that no Federal agency collects data in a form that can be used to show how much of any given mineral goes to the energy industries or to project demand for minerals by the various energy technologies. Further, a capability for providing valid, reasonably reliable projections of demand for and supply of minerals by the energy technologies had not been developed within either the public or private sector. Therefore, GAO , in conjunction with a laboratory, developed a methodology to evaluate projected energy-related demand for nonfuel minerals. This methodology modified and interlinked two accepted computer models to provide projected demand for 25 nonfuel minerals in 5-year intervals to the year 2000 under four technology scenarios.