Commentary
If you were asked to name the most important critical mineral in existence, what would you name? Maybe bauxite, a sedimentary rock with a high aluminum content; maybe cobalt, a metallic used in the construction of aircraft engines and gas turbines; or maybe lithium, used in the production of electric vehicles and electrical energy storage systems.
What about arguably the most important mineral in existence, antimony? After all, it’s the most important mineral you’ve never heard of. Sadly, the United States is running dangerously low on antimony. The reasons why will shock and anger many readers.
In many ways, antimony, a semi-metal that is silvery and hard in nature, is a silent hero. While the aforementioned cobalt and lithium get all the plaudits, antimony receives little attention. That’s because very few people even know what antimony is, let alone its many uses….