What makes minerals critical? Problematizing sovereignty in times of crisis

Abstract

This paper examines what makes minerals "critical" by analyzing criticality studies, which are geological and economic analyses aimed at forecasting future supply risks. It explores three contemporary examples from European and French contexts. In Europe, critical materials are discussed in relation to the recent Critical Raw Materials Act. While the European approach highlights a crisis in Europe’s capacity to monitor and respond to market trends, the French cases present different ways of framing the crisis. One case, involving the institution Ofremi, focuses on outlining strategic directions to safeguard national sovereignty and prepare for external threats to the economy. The other stems from a state-owned electricity distribution company, which uses criticality as a framework for exploring the technical and political choices that shape energy transition trajectories. The analysis of these three cases demonstrates that defining criticality ultimately reflects the desired expressions of sovereignty in times of crisis. More than just a technical assessment of supply risks, criticality embodies deeper struggles over how states define crises and assert sovereignty.