Compute Runs on Minerals: Mapping AI’s Critical Mineral Exposure in the Age of Pax Silica

This talk by Noah Chaikin, presented by Trajectory Labs in Toronto, examines the critical minerals behind AI infrastructure, including gallium, germanium, and rare earths, and their concentrated supply chains. It explores how countries like China have weaponized export restrictions on these materials, and maps the AI value chain from mine to data centre. The discussion applies a foresight lens to securing North American supply, referencing the US-led Pax Silica initiative, and outlines scenarios