10 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2024
SMT Perspectives and Prospects
by Dr. Jennie S. Hwang, CEO, H-TECHNOLOGIES GROUP
Tumultuous forces involving geopolitical
pull, along with technological and market
push, have emerged since I published the first
two parts of this topic in February and May
2022, respectively. Here, I will consider the
impact of these new forces.
Critical materials and minerals that are the
foundation for essential goods have long been
sourced from areas with wars, near-wars, and
some unfriendly nations; this causes high-
risk concerns. When Russia invaded Ukraine
on Feb. 24, 2022, for example, it elevated the
uncertainty of materials and minerals. en
Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, added further
peril to the availability, reliability, and security
of the global supply chain. e potential haz-
ards from these high-risk uncertainties have
drawn intense attention across the national
landscape.
Energy use (specifically electricity) contin-
ues to increase. is demand comes from the
phenomenal growth of power-hungry data
centers—some new data centers need grid
connections as large as 500 megawatts—and
increased deployment of potent AI tools, the
need for high-performance computing, and a
push for electrification. ese market forces
create a heightened criticality for some materi-
als and minerals, including lithium, nickel, and
some rare earth minerals.
On the national level, efforts have been
made to preserve these minerals, yet a robust
and integrated national strategy is needed that
includes plans that are deliberate, comprehen-
Critical Materials:
A Compelling Case, Part 3
