Key minerals in energy transmission

The U.S. electrical grid relies on minerals with unique properties. Greater quantities of minerals are needed to expand the grid to support data centers and link different energy resources into our grid. Where will these minerals come from? Some minerals are produced in the United States, but other minerals are primarily imported.

How to read this figure

Transformers

Transformers contain an electric steel core inside copper or aluminum coils to generate a magnetic field that changes the voltage—without any moving mechanical parts.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) studies mineral supply chains and identifies potential mineral resources in the United States and internationally. Powerplants produce Powerplants produce electrical energy electrical energy Transmission Towers Transmission towers are usually made of steel but can be made of wood or reinforced concrete. New towers are sometimes made from lightweight aluminum alloys. Transmission lines Transmission lines carry power across carry power across long distances long distances

The U.S. electrical grid uses more than 160,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines, enough to wrap around the Earth approximately 6.4 times.

August 2026 References Cited

Bauer, D.J., Nguyen, R.T., Smith, B.J., Cuscaden, P., Dai Q., Edgemon, L., Graziano, D., Hossain, T., Iloeje, C., Khazdozian, H., Mathew, T., Mehta, J., Quaresima, J., Riddle, M.E., Sarna, C., Severson, M.H., Sibal, A.P., Toba, L., Vaagensmith, B.C., and Zhang, B., 2023, Critical materials assessment: U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, report DOE/EE-2756, 240 p., accessed March 2026 at https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/doe-critical-material-assessment_07312023.pdf.U.S. Geological Survey, 2026, Mineral commodity summaries 2026 (ver. 1.3, May 2026): U.S. Geological Survey, 222 p., accessed May 2026 at https://doi.org/10.3133/mcs2026.U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2016, U.S. electric system is made up of interconnections and balancing authorities: U.S. Energy Information Administration web page, accessed March 2026 at https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=27152.McKenna, K., Abraham, S.A., and Wang, W., 2024, Major drivers of long-term distribution transformer demand: Golden, Colo., National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Technical Report NREL/TP-6A40-87653, 8 p., accessed July 1, 2026, at https://doi.org/10.2172/2309697. [The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is now known as the National Laboratory of the Rockies.] U.S. Energy Information Administration, [2026], Glossary: EIA website, accessed July 2026, at https://www.eia.gov/tools/glossary/index.php.

Glossary

alternating current (AC)

direct current (DC) distribution line

high-voltage direct current (HVDC)

switch thyristor transformer transmission line

For More Information

For more information on minerals data and science, visit the USGS Mineral Resources Program website, https://www.usgs.gov/minerals.An electrical current that periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude. Most of the U.S. electrical grid operates on AC power, and AC power is used by residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. A safety device that prevents damage by automatically shutting off a circuit if there is too much current. Breakers can also be used to manually shut off a circuit. An electrical current that flows consistently in one direction. An electrical circuit (such as a system of overhead or underground cables) that distributes electricity at medium or low voltage for residential, commercial, and industrial use. The complex, interconnected network of power generation, transmission, and distribution systems that delivers electricity from producers to consumers. A system that transmits electricity using direct current and high voltages. HVDC can transmit electricity more efficiently than AC systems over long distances and can connect grids that operate at different frequencies. A device that converts electricity between alternating and direct current. A facility that transforms electricity into different voltage levels and manages the flow of electrical power between generation, transmission, and distribution systems. There are multiple types of substations, including transmission and distribution substations. A device used to turn electrical circuits on or off. A device that works as a controllable switch in electronic circuits. An electrical device that changes the voltage of alternating current. A cable or cable system that carries electricity at high voltages, usually over long distances, from power plants or receiving points to major substations or delivery points. A structure designed to support overhead transmission lines. Typically, transmission towers are tall, lattice towers built from steel.

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