Towards Geostrategic Critical Minerals and Materials Resilience: Secure Supply-Chain and Criticality Analyses for Quantum Technologies in Arctic and Space Environments

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2605.02926v1
• Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:02:11 GMT
• Title: Towards Geostrategic Critical Minerals and Materials Resilience: Secure Supply-Chain and Criticality Analyses for Quantum Technologies in Arctic and Space Environments
• Abstract summary: This manuscript maps secure-supply and criticality risks for quantum technologies deployed in extreme environments.<n>It adopts a reproducible "Critical Level I" screening method to identify materials whose supply concentration, essentiality, and limited mitigatability can create bottlenecks for quantum deployment.
• Score: 11.73069690412101
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Abstract: This manuscript maps secure-supply and criticality risks for quantum technologies deployed in extreme environments, linking upstream critical minerals and materials (CMMs) to downstream system performance, continuity of security, and mission assurance. It adopts a reproducible "Critical Level I" screening method to identify materials whose supply concentration, essentiality, and limited mitigatability can create bottlenecks for quantum deployment. The analysis is structured around two use cases: (i) niobium as a key input for superconducting quantum computing and related manufacturing and toolchain dependencies; and (ii) space-qualified superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs), alongside adjacent single-photon detector platforms such as SPADs, where radiation, thermal cycling, vibration, and electromagnetic interference can degrade device metrics and, in communications settings, threaten continuity of security. The manuscript further situates these dependencies within U.S.-China strategic competition over critical materials, refining capacity, export controls, and overseas mineral acquisitions, while also connecting them to standards-first governance, post-quantum cryptography migration, and the emerging security logic of quantum networking. It argues that static national critical-minerals lists are insufficient for mission-relevant quantum technology and proposes a dedicated Quantum Criticality and Critical Minerals (QCCM) dashboard as a living decision-support tool for tracking concentration, substitutability, qualification bottlenecks, stockpiling gaps, and geopolitical stress signals across quantum platforms. The paper concludes with implications for substitution, diversification, stockpiling, shielding, qualification-by-design, and standards-aligned governance to support secure, sustained, and mission-relevant quantum deployment.

Related papers

• A Survey on Security with Quantum Computing [5.346950522909353]
  Quantum computing has emerged as a transformative computing paradigm capable of solving problems that remain computationally infeasible for classical systems.<n>This survey focuses on security issues in quantum computers, security threats caused by quantum computers, and security mechanisms developed for quantum systems.<n>The paper examines vulnerabilities in quantum hardware and software, the impact of quantum computing on existing cryptographic infrastructures and cybersecurity mechanisms, and the development of quantum-resilient solutions.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-05-19T11:11:46Z)
• QuaNTUM: A Modular Quantum Communication Testbed for Scalable Fiber and Satellite Integration [0.0]
  We present QuaNTUM (Quantum Network at the Technical University of Munich), a scalable quantum communication testbed.<n>The network connects research institutions in Garching near Munich via single-mode fibers in a star topology with polarization-maintaining components.<n>A key feature is the integration of deterministic solid-state single-photon sources, including defects in hexagonal boron nitride and excited erbium atoms.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-03-11T21:22:12Z)
• Quantum Technologies and Edge Devices in Electrical Grids: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions [48.743471876476214]
  We show how quantum technologies can be integrated into edge devices, highlighting both opportunities and challenges.<n>Quantum computers can deliver exponential speed-ups for optimization and machine-learning tasks.<n>Quantum sensors can sense signals with atomic precision, giving edge devices a more precise view of grid dynamics.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-03-06T18:56:50Z)
• Quantum Attacks Targeting Nuclear Power Plants: Threat Analysis, Defense and Mitigation Strategies [1.2891210250935148]
  This paper introduces a forensics-first framework for achieving quantum resilience in high-consequence environments.<n>We show how Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later (HNDL) campaigns can retroactively compromise cryptographic foundations, undermine evidence admissibility, and facilitate sophisticated sabotage.<n>We propose and validate a phased, defense-in-depth migration path to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)<n>The paper concludes that without urgent adoption of quantum-resilient controls, the integrity of both physical safety systems and digital forensic evidence remains at severe and irreversible risk.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2026-02-25T03:26:09Z)
• Security and Privacy Management of IoT Using Quantum Computing [0.0]
  The convergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and quantum computing is redefining the security paradigm of interconnected digital systems.<n>Classical cryptographic algorithms such as RSA, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) have long provided the foundation for securing IoT communication.<n>The emergence of quantum algorithms such as Shor's and Grover's threatens to render these techniques vulnerable, necessitating the development of quantum-resilient alternatives.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-11-05T15:08:55Z)
• Post-Quantum Cryptography and Quantum-Safe Security: A Comprehensive Survey [0.9204149287692597]
  Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is moving from evaluation to deployment as NIST finalizes standards for ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and SLH-DSA.<n>This survey maps the space from foundations to practice.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-10-12T04:00:01Z)
• Quantum Key Distribution [9.403735049058284]
  Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a technology that ensures secure communication by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics.<n>This chapter provides an overview of this quantum technology's maturity and trends.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-07-31T02:20:02Z)
• Quantum-Accelerated Wireless Communications: Concepts, Connections, and Implications [59.0413662882849]
  Quantum computing is poised to redefine the algorithmic foundations of communication systems.<n>This article outlines the fundamentals of quantum computing in a style familiar to the communications society.<n>We highlight a mathematical harmony between quantum and wireless systems, which makes the topic more enticing to wireless researchers.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-06-25T22:25:47Z)
• Application of $α$-order Information Metrics for Secure Communication in Quantum Physical Layer Design [45.41082277680607]
  We study the $alpha$-order information-theoretic metrics based on R'enyi entropy.<n>We apply our framework to a practical scenario involving BPSK modulation over a lossy bosonic channel.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-02-07T03:44:11Z)
• Practical hybrid PQC-QKD protocols with enhanced security and performance [44.8840598334124]
  We develop hybrid protocols by which QKD and PQC inter-operate within a joint quantum-classical network. In particular, we consider different hybrid designs that may offer enhanced speed and/or security over the individual performance of either approach.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-11-02T00:02:01Z)
• The Evolution of Quantum Secure Direct Communication: On the Road to the Qinternet [49.8449750761258]
  Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) is provably secure and overcomes the threat of quantum computing.<n>We will detail the associated point-to-point communication protocols and show how information is protected and transmitted.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-11-23T12:40:47Z)
• Towards Quantum-Native Communication Systems: State-of-the-Art, Trends, and Challenges [27.282184604334603]
  The survey examines technologies such as quantumdomain (QD) multi-input multi-output, QD non-orthogonal multiple access, quantum secure direct communication, QD resource allocation, QD routing, and QD artificial intelligence.<n>The current status of quantum sensing, quantum radar, and quantum timing is briefly reviewed in support of future applications.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-11-09T09:45:52Z)
• Quantum Semantic Communications for Resource-Efficient Quantum Networking [52.3355619190963]
  This letter proposes a novel quantum semantic communications (QSC) framework exploiting advancements in quantum machine learning and quantum semantic representations. The proposed framework achieves approximately 50-75% reduction in quantum communication resources needed, while achieving a higher quantum semantic fidelity.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-05-05T03:49:19Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.