Chipping in: Critical minerals for semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.

Abstract

In recent light of strained supply chains and global geopolitical tension, the U.S. is making significant investments to establish semiconductor manufacturing capacity and domestic supply chains for critical mineral resources to reduce dependence on other countries. Semiconductor-related critical minerals have become increasingly important considering the rise in demand for final products using semiconductor chips. The CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022, serves as the largest U.S. policy mechanism to expand investment in this field and enhance domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity. This review outlines the critical mineral resources required for semiconductors, their origin, and the degree of dependency the U.S. faces across semiconductor supply chains and manufacturing. In the long term, more comprehensive policy, coupled with significant investment to ramp up domestic critical mineral mining and recovery, could enable the U.S. to establish a stable domestic supply to better support semiconductor manufacturing.