Critical Minerals & Strategic Minerals
Securing Resources for Global Resilience and Sustainable Growth
At Enova Mining, we are focused on discovering, developing and responsibly supplying critical and strategic minerals essential to the world’s decarbonisation, defence, and digital transitions.
Critical minerals are the building blocks of modern technologies – from electric vehicles and wind turbines to semiconductors and defence systems. Strategic materials play a similar role, supporting long-term geopolitical and economic priorities, including energy security and supply chain resilience.
What Are Critical and Strategic Minerals?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), critical minerals are those:
- essential to the economy or national security,
- that serve a key function in manufacturing,
- and whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption.
Strategic minerals, on the other hand, are commodities vital to national defence; access during conflict or global instability may depend on imports. These definitions are dynamic – governments revise their lists periodically in response to global supply shifts, technological needs, and geopolitical risks.
In 2022, the US updated its official list to include 50 mineral commodities, highlighting an increasing demand for nickel, zinc, and all individual rare earth elements.
Australia’s Role in Critical Minerals
The Australian Government maintains two distinct categories:
- Critical Minerals: those essential for net-zero targets, advanced manufacturing and defence capabilities.
- Strategic Materials: minerals vital to future supply chains but not yet deemed vulnerable enough for the critical list.
Australia’s current strategic materials include aluminium, copper, phosphorus, tin and zinc. Both lists are reviewed at least every three years.
Enova Mining’s projects directly support these priorities through exploration and development of lithium, rare earth elements (REEs), and other clean technology minerals.
Rare Earth Elements: A Key Critical Mineral Class
Rare earth elements, spanning the lanthanide series plus scandium and yttrium, are vital to energy, defence and digital infrastructure. Used in permanent magnets, lasers, electric motors, radar, batteries, EVs and wind turbines, their unique properties underpin modern technologies.
At Enova, we are advancing multiple REE projects across Brazil and Australia:
- East Salinas is hard rock high-grade REE project strategically located in Minas Gerais
- Coda is a clay hosted REE project near Patos De Minas, Minas Gerai
- Poços host ionic adsorption clay REEs, sought after for their low-cost, environmentally sustainable extraction pathways.
- Charley Creek offers near-surface alluvial REE-hosted minerals with large-scale potential and simple processing routes.
Our REE focus spans Light (LREE), Middle (MREE), and Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE), ensuring diverse applications and exposure to high-value markets.
Lithium: Powering the Clean Energy Transition
Lithium is a cornerstone of energy storage, and demand is rapidly accelerating in the race to electrify transport and decarbonise energy. It is critical to the global battery supply chain and is prioritised by both the U.S. and Australian Governments as a core clean energy mineral.
Enova’s Lithium Valley projects are located in Brazil’s highly prospective Eastern Brazilian Pegmatite Province (EBPP), home to some of the world’s largest and most advanced lithium operations, including Sigma Lithium and Latin Resources.
Our lithium exploration strategy includes:
- Regional target definition using advanced geophysical, hyperspectral and geochemical technologies;
- Ground validation and systematic testing of pegmatite-hosted spodumene systems;
- Priority targets at East Salinas, Santo Antônio, Caraí and Resplendor.
We aim to supply responsibly sourced lithium from jurisdictions with transparent regulation, strong infrastructure, and supportive local communities.
Enova’s Commitment
Enova Mining is building a diversified portfolio of critical mineral assets to meet global clean energy, technology and strategic needs.
We operate with a clear focus on:
- Project development aligned with global supply chain security,
- Exploration in high-potential, low-risk jurisdictions (Brazil and Australia),
- ESG principles that drive sustainable development and community value.
Our work contributes to global decarbonisation, innovation, and supply resilience, delivering essential materials for the industries of today and tomorrow.