Every time you ask AI a question, stream a video, or tap your phone screen, a quiet supply chain stretches from deep mines across several continents to the device in your hand. Every hardware supporting this constant flow of information relies on specific minerals pulled from the Earth's crust.
Some conduct electricity with remarkable efficiency, while others withstand heat that would melt ordinary metals. A few exist in such small quantities that entire industries have reorganized around securing steady access to them.
In this gallery, we look at some of the critical minerals at the heart of the digital world. Click on to know more.