Charted: The Explosive Growth of Critical Minerals

By  DataCanvas  – Visual Capitalist

Global mineral production has climbed dramatically over the last six decades as industrialization, urbanization, and electrification reshape the global economy.

The fastest growth is now occurring in minerals tied to the energy transition. Lithium production, for example, has surged from almost nothing in 1960 to 240,000 tonnes in 2024, while rare earth output has also accelerated sharply amid rising demand for EVs, batteries, wind turbines, and advanced electronics.

The visualization above, created by DataCanvas using data from Our World in Data, tracks global mine production across major minerals from 1960 through 2024.