A CRMA term for mineral occurrences that are economically viable to extract in a particular market context.
Reserves are the subset of mineral occurrences that meet the CRMA economic-viability condition for extraction in a particular market context. The term does not cover every deposit, every exploration target, or every resource estimate; it depends on economic viability at the relevant time and market conditions.
This page is anchored in CRMA Article 2, point 7. It should be read with mineral occurrences and exploration, but kept separate from extraction capacity, project approval, and company-level supply commitments.
Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials
all mineral occurrences that are economically viable to extract in a particular market context
CRMA Article 2 source-specific definition layer.
Reference: Article 2, point 7
Use reserves when a raw-material or project record needs to distinguish potential deposits from economically viable extractable material. This helps avoid treating early exploration results or predictive maps as confirmed supply evidence.
Reserves are where geological evidence starts to meet market viability. Minespider treats reserves as an upstream material-status signal that can connect to supply-risk and project records without pretending that a reserve automatically becomes product-level traceability or delivery proof.