#236 Critical Minerals: A Master Class on How to Win w/ Nicholaus Rohleder

CleanTechies

We’re doing something a bit different…🤔

We’re exploring the urgent and evolving landscape of critical minerals with Nicholaus Rohleder from Climate Commodities. Nick, an investor and expert in the field, breaks down how the U.S. went from a leader in mineral production to heavy reliance on foreign sources—and why the time is now for entrepreneurs to help rebuild domestic supply chains.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Rise and Fall of U.S. Mineral Production
• Why Critical Minerals Matter More Than Ever
• Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
• The Capital Market Shift
• U.S. Trade Policy and Tariffs
• The Future of Clean Minerals
• Mistakes Founders Make

Nick teaches a class on this at UPenn, so this is serious value ($$$) — if you’re a investor, policymaker, or entrepreneur looking to understand the critical minerals space, this is for you.

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Links

• Nicholaus Rohleder | Climate Commodities
• Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
• This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Topics

• 01:23 Landscape of Critical Minerals
• 05:06 Historical Context of U.S. Mineral Production
• 09:53 Talent and Knowledge Gaps in the Industry
• 12:10 The Need for Domestic Production
• 20:30 The Key Minerals
• 28:51 Opportunities in the Critical Minerals Value Chain
• 34:32 Technological Innovations and Local Production
• 43:05 Cost Dynamics

[Paywall Begins]

• 44:04 Building Successful Companies in Critical Minerals
• 46:52 Common Mistakes in the Critical Minerals Sector
• 51:52 Current Trends in Capital Investment
• 55:42 Investment Opportunities
• 56:00 Advice for Start-ups in the Sector
• 57:06 Government Involvement and Policy Implications

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Chapters

1. #236 Critical Minerals: A Master Class on How to Win w/ Nicholaus Rohleder (00:00:00)

2. Landscape of Critical Minerals (00:01:23)

3. Historical Context of U.S. Mineral Production (00:05:06)

4. Talent and Knowledge Gaps in the Industry (00:09:53)

5. The Need for Domestic Production (00:12:10)

6. The Key Minerals (00:20:30)

7. Opportunities in the Critical Minerals Value Chain (00:28:51)

8. Technological Innovations and Local Production (00:34:32)

9. Cost Dynamics (00:43:05)