Materials Powering the Future of Energy

The Critical Materials Monitor aims to improve understanding of supply chains essential for the energy transition, the transition to more sustainable energy. It offers insights into the critical minerals required, outlines the components of key technologies, and provides in-depth reserve, production, and trade analysis.

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Moderator

Moderator

A moderator in a nuclear plant slows down neutrons produced during fission, making them more likely to sustain the chain reaction needed for continuous energy production. Common moderators include materials like water, heavy water, or graphite, and their effectiveness is crucial for the reactor's efficiency and safety.

Critical minerals used in Moderator

Traded commodities related to Moderator

The United Nations Comtrade database provides detailed trade statistics by product and trading partner. Imported and exported products are classified under the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS system), used uniformly by most customs authorities around the world. Based on the latest update of the HS system and data available in UN Comtrade, you can find below the relevant commodities related to this technology, including their HS codes and full descriptions.

We have classified these technology-related commodities into three groups: Midstream (chemical and material inputs of technology components), Downstream (fully assembled components or products), and Waste/Recycling (including recycled or waste products and components). Commodities are further arranged according to the relevant technology components.

Referencing

When citing any information on this website, please use the following citation: Columbia University CGEP. 2024. Critical Materials Monitor. http://criticalmaterialsmonitor.org

Contact

Critical Materials Monitor is run by the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. The project is led by Tom Moerenhout.
Contact us: criticalmaterials@columbia.edu.