critical materials

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "critical materials" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to refer to resources or materials that are essential to a particular process or goal. For example, "We must acquire the necessary critical materials to complete our research project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In the early 1990s Lem met with a literary scholar and critic Peter Swirski for a series of extensive interviews, published together with other critical materials and translations as A Stanislaw Lem Reader (1997).

Wikipedia

If Japan can restore production of critical materials and components within three months, the South Korean substitution bonanza may never materialize.

The New York Times

ONCE again, worrywarts are wringing their hands over possible shortages of so-called "critical materials" crucial for high-tech industries.

The Economist

From the 1940s through the 1980s, the mines supplied critical materials to the nation's nuclear weapons program.

The New York Times

So far, however, there has been no evidence that the labs were ever put into use in producing the critical materials for biological weapons.

The New York Times

One was a story about attempts to purchase critical materials from Niger, and it was the product of rumor and forgery.

The New York Times

India must import much of its iron ore, coal and other minerals, and shortages of critical materials have slowed crucial infrastructure projects.

The New York Times

Mr. McClellan said the transport plane was carrying 55,000 pounds of equipment, including "critical materials related to Libya's nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile capabilities," including centrifuge parts used to process uranium hexafluoride.

The New York Times

The challenge regarding the latter is how to recycle the component parts once they come to end of their operational life, namely reclaiming the "critical materials" – rare raw materials – used within the bulbs, such as gallium and indium.

The Guardian

The report called for the United States government to research and develop new sources for a broad range of critical materials and to more closely monitor the supply of and demand for them.

The New York Times

During World War II, Mr. Dominy helped establish instant farms to provide food for miners and loggers dumped into foreign jungles to harvest critical materials for the war effort.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing "critical materials" in a technical context, always define the scope of criticality to ensure clarity (e.g., "critical materials for battery production").

Common error

Avoid using "critical materials" without specifying the industry or application, as the term's meaning depends heavily on the specific context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "critical materials" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "critical" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "materials". This phrase is used to identify substances that are essential or indispensable for a specific purpose or industry, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

21%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "critical materials" is widely used to denote substances essential for various industries and technologies. As confirmed by Ludwig, it correctly identifies materials that are indispensable for specific applications. Predominantly found in scientific, news, and business contexts, the term emphasizes the necessity of these resources and the potential risks associated with their supply. To ensure clarity, it's best practice to specify the context (e.g., "critical materials for renewable energy"). Awareness of this term and its proper usage is vital for discussions related to economics, technology, and resource management.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

essential resources

Focuses on the resource aspect, highlighting indispensability.

vital raw materials

Highlights the unprocessed state and importance of these materials.

vital components

Emphasizes the role of these materials as necessary parts of a whole.

indispensable elements

Highlights that these materials cannot be done without.

key ingredients

Suggests a recipe or process where these materials are fundamental.

strategic resources

Focuses on the importance of materials from the perspective of strategic planning and national security.

required elements

A direct and simple way to state that these materials are needed.

fundamental substances

Stresses the foundational nature of these materials.

necessary supplies

Highlights the need to have these materials available.

essential commodities

Emphasizes their role in trade and the economy.

FAQs

How are "critical materials" typically used in sentences?

The phrase "critical materials" is often used to describe resources essential for specific industries, technologies, or processes. For instance, one might say, "The shortage of "rare earth elements" is impacting the production of electric vehicles".

What are some synonyms for "critical materials"?

Depending on the context, you can use synonyms like "essential resources", "vital components", or "strategic resources" to refer to "critical materials".

In what contexts is the term "critical materials" most frequently used?

The term "critical materials" is commonly used in discussions related to economics, technology, and national security, especially when discussing supply chain vulnerabilities and the need for resource independence. These areas often intersect when considering the "clean energy industries".

What makes a material "critical"?

A material is deemed "critical" when it is essential for a particular technology or industry, faces a high risk of supply disruption, and has few or no viable substitutes. Governmental bodies like the "European Commission" and the U.S. Department of Energy often maintain lists of such materials.