Critical minerals news covering lithium, cobalt, rare earths, supply chains, and strategic mineral resource developments.
The commentary argues that President Trump’s Project Vault faces critical failure due to a lack of domestic rare earth processing infrastructure. It contends that stockpiling raw materials is insufficient without refining capabilities, suggesting REalloys’ technology is essential for the initiative's success.
The Washington Examiner reports on National Ocean Industries Association warnings that current congressional permitting reform represents a critical opportunity for the deep-sea mining industry. The piece highlights Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s arguments that domestic critical mineral production is essential for national security and economic resilience against adversarial processing.
A US Consulate delegation met with Singareni Collieries Company Ltd in Hyderabad to discuss partnerships in rare earth element extraction from open-cast mines. The talks also covered potential US investment in AI data centers in Telangana, with SCCL proposing pumped storage solutions to meet energy demands.
MetalMiner argues that Western tungsten prices have diverged significantly from Chinese markets due to US defense procurement restrictions rather than tariffs. The analysis indicates that conversion capacity, not scrap availability, is the primary bottleneck for non-Chinese tungsten supply ahead of new regulatory deadlines.
Sibanye-Stillwater reduced its annual US platinum group metals production forecast by up to 15% and raised cost guidance following a five-week strike at its Montana mines. The disruption impacts the only domestic sources of primary PGMs, critical for defense and automotive sectors.
A UK parliamentary business select committee has declared the nation dangerously dependent on China for critical minerals essential to defence, renewable energy, and AI. The committee urged immediate policy action and a new finance facility to diversify supply chains, citing China's dominance in refining key resources like lithium and rare earths as a major strategic vulnerability.
New York State approved an estimated $54.2 million in incentives for Phoenix Tailings' Freedom Project rare earth separation facility in Rochester. The funding includes tax credits and infrastructure upgrades to leverage former Kodak manufacturing sites, building on prior federal support to accelerate U.S. critical material production.