Top Critical Minerals Powering Data Centers: Inside the Backbone of the AI Revolution

Data centers are the backbone of the AI revolution. As the world races to deploy next-generation artificial intelligence models and cloud services, modern data centers form the physical infrastructure that enables massive compute, storage, and data transfer. Spending on these facilities is surging: global investment in data centers tied to AI and hyper-scale infrastructure is expected to hit roughly $580 billion in 2025, surpassing what is spent on new oil supplies.

Check out our article below, where we break down why critical minerals play an essential role in the global data-center buildout .

Silver is the most electrically conductive metal and is used across serverboards, high-speed data links, and sensitive connectors. Its conductivity allows dense circuits to maintain stable signal pathways under sustained AI compute load. Silver coatings also resist corrosion and improve long-term contact performance.

High-power GPUs and edge devices rely on silver-based solders and pastes to maintain thermal stability. The U.S. imports 64% of its silver needs, highlighting moderate reliance. Global production is led overwhelmingly by Mexico, with China and Peru following. Data-center growth directly increases demand for high-purity silver components.

Gold is used for corrosion-resistant plating on high-reliability connectors, switches, and bonding wires inside CPUs and GPUs. Its chemical stability maintains conductivity in environments with constant heat variation. Serverboards use gold-plated pins to ensure uninterrupted electrical contact in high-performance systems.

Even at low volumes, gold is strategically placed in critical pathways where failure would disrupt entire racks. The U.S. currently has low import reliance, but global supply is dominated by China, followed by Canada and Australia. Gold remains essential for premium, long-life data-center hardware.

Copper forms the electrical backbone of data centers: interconnects, cable systems, power distribution units, and serverboard traces. Its high conductivity enables efficient power delivery across dense racks, while its thermal properties support heat sinks and vapor chambers.

Copper busbars handle the massive currents required for clustered AI systems. Import reliance stands at 45%, indicating significant external dependence. Global copper mining is dominated by Chile, with Peru and China as major contributors. Data centers cannot function without copper-intensive infrastructure.

Tantalum is essential for compact, high-reliability capacitors used in power regulation for CPUs, GPUs, and memory modules. These capacitors stabilize voltage during rapid AI workload fluctuations. Tantalum’s thermal resilience makes it ideal for high-wattage accelerators. The U.S. is fully import dependent, with 100% reliance. Global production is dominated by the DRC and Rwanda, making tantalum one of the most geopolitically sensitive minerals in electronics. There are no equal substitutes for high-performance electronics.

Palladium is used in multilayer ceramic capacitors that smooth power delivery across serverboards, especially in high-frequency circuits. It also forms corrosion-resistant plating for connectors that undergo repeated mechanical stress. Data-center networking gear and GPUs depend on palladium for stable, low-loss operation. The U.S. imports 36% of its palladium supply. Global output is dominated by Russia, followed by South Africa. Given geopolitical instability, palladium remains a high-risk component of the electronics supply chain.

Platinum is used in electrodes, high-reliability sensors, and certain critical contact materials. Its ability to retain electrical stability at high temperatures makes it valuable for data-center power systems and monitoring equipment. It also supports industrial catalysts in backup energy systems. Import reliance stands at 85%, putting the U.S. in a vulnerable position. The global platinum industry is dominated by South Africa, with Russia as a secondary source. Its functional performance makes it difficult to replace.

Aluminum is the primary material for heat sinks used to cool processors and AI accelerators. Its thermal conductivity supports efficient heat removal across millions of servers. Lightweight aluminum also enables large-scale cooling assemblies in data centers. It is used in chassis, enclosure frames, and airflow components. The U.S. imports 47% of its aluminum. Global production is controlled heavily by China, which dominates both raw aluminum and alumina refining. Effective heat management in modern racks depends on aluminum infrastructure.

Arsenic is used to manufacture gallium arsenide (GaAs) semiconductors that power high-speed optical links and RF equipment. These chips outperform silicon in high-frequency environments and are crucial for internal data-center networking. Arsenic-based materials enable optical lasers used in fiber systems. The U.S. relies on imports for 100% of its arsenic. Global production is almost entirely concentrated in China, creating a single-point dependency for GaAs supply chains.

Fluorspar is required to produce hydrofluoric acid, the chemical used to etch and clean semiconductor wafers. Every processor and memory chip used in a data center undergoes fluorine-based etching at multiple steps. The U.S. is fully dependent on imports, with 100% reliance. Global supply is dominated by China, which controls both mining and refining capacity. Without fluorspar, semiconductor manufacturing would halt.

Rare earth elements (especially neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium) power high-strength magnets used in hard drives, server fans, pumps, and power-electronics motors. These magnets enable compact, high-efficiency motion systems across data-center infrastructure. Rare earths also support certain optical, phosphor, and semiconductor functions. The U.S. imports 80% of its rare earth supply. China overwhelmingly dominates global production and processing, controlling 60–70% of mining and over 85% of refining. Nearly every modern data center depends directly on Chinese rare-earth magnets.