The publication introduces the main materials that commonly underpin the AI supply chain, including copper, silicon, gold and silver, rare earth elements, tantalum, cobalt, lithium, and gallium. For each, it provides a brief description of their industrial use in AI hardware. How to Read This: Here are key minerals used in each part of the data center, and the percent the U. Whether it's the silicon that forms the basis of microchips, the cobalt that enhances memory and logic devices, or the rare earths that power high-performance magnets and semiconductors, these elements are fundamental to building the intelligent, electrified systems of the future. The intersection. The U. Core data center components—from circuitry to magnets—depend heavily on foreign-sourced materials. The artificial intelligence boom is driving an unprecedented buildout of data centers across the United. In just the past couple of years, we've seen the explosive rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Grok, and companies are investing billions to keep up. We. Extracted from quartzite and silica sand deposits—where it ranks as Earth's second-most abundant element after carbon—silicon undergoes extensive purification to achieve the ultra-high purity levels required for electronics. Manufacturers process this refined silicon into cylindrical ingots, then. As data centers rapidly double their power consumption, their demand for critical minerals is also soaring, driven by the reliance of nearly every component—from servers to batteries and fans—on materials like copper for wiring and heat exchange, nickel, cobalt and manganese for backup energy.