The role of critical minerals in the global transition to clean energy and technological advancement is undeniable, yet the complexities surrounding their identification, tracking, and analysis remain a significant challenge. a central issue is the fragmentation of critical minerals across various australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (aNZSIC) categories. This dispersion complicates efforts to track and analyse critical minerals in a consistent and meaningful way, creating barriers to effective policy development, economic forecasting, and targeted investment. as part of a broader effort to address these challenges, aUSMaSa has proposed to the australian Bureau of Statistics (aBS) the creation of a dedicated aNZSIC classification for critical minerals. Currently, these materials are dispersed across multiple categories-ranging from mining to manufacturing-making it difficult to capture comprehensive data on production, refining, exports, and workforce trends. Without clear categorisation, comparisons of australia' s performance in critical mineral sectors relative to global competitors remain imprecise, and the ability to analyse supply chain vulnerabilities is hindered. In this presentation, we will explore the complexities surrounding the identification and tracking of critical minerals within the australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (aNZSIC) system, and the implications for policy and economic analysis. We will discuss the challenges posed by the current dispersion of critical minerals across multiple categories, which hampers the ability to accurately capture data on production, refining, and exports. a key focus will be the proposal to the australian Bureau of Statistics for a dedicated aNZSIC category for critical minerals, highlighting how this restructuring would enable more effective monitoring, support targeted investment, and facilitate a clearer understanding of the sector' s role in the broader economy, and findings from aUSMaSa' s forum on Critical Minerals (CMEV). The presentation will also cover the importance of critical minerals with regard to sovereign capability and domestic supply chains, including downstream application possibilities.