Graphite and vanadium may be relatively obscure materials, but these commodities could get a jolt from developing battery technology.

The rare earth sector has seen astronomical gains in recent years as Chinese export restrictions, short-sighted U.S. policy and investor interest combined to make front page news.

Despite the important sounding name, not all rare earth elements are critical or in short supply compared to the ultimate demand. In this exclusive article for The Critical Metals Report, Jack Lifton, a senior fellow of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, shares the secrets for determining if a company has a chance of growing into a viable, profitable venture that will benefit both investors and host countries.

Solar and wind can't produce power when there is no sun or turbulence in the air. That is why energy storage will be vital for offsetting and balancing use of traditional baseload power sources during peak and off-peak periods.

As uncommon as they may be, rare earth elements are all around you—in your laptop, your cell phone and your flat-screen television. But despite their frequency in our everyday lives, investors still have a lot of false preconceptions about these 16 elements.