Helium and rubber added to EU critical raw materials list
New classification sees nine materials pass threshold of supply risk, while two are downgraded
The European commission has updated its list of 27 critical raw materials for European industry. Nine materials, including helium and natural rubber, have been added to the 2014 list, while chromium and magnesite have been removed.
Three of the newly added materials – bismuth, helium and phosphorus – were not previously assessed. Some have become more critical because of changing demand and supply, while others moved into the critical class because of a change in how their supply risk is calculated, focusing more on where Europe gets its materials rather than global production