Critical Minerals & Rare Earths News

The Daily Signal provides critical minerals and rare earths news with reporting, analysis, and conservative commentary on U.S. mining, China dependence, supply-chain security, trade restrictions, permitting, and minerals vital to defense, energy, semiconductors, and advanced technology.
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  • opinion

    How China Dominates the World’s Critical Minerals Production
    Critical minerals are mined all over the world but the majority of the supply ends up passing through China. For a broad range of key metals and minerals, China is either the largest miner, the dominant refiner, or both. This is true for rare earths, lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, and many other metals and minerals…
    Kyle McCollum
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  • opinion

    Decoupling From China on Critical Minerals Must Be a National Security Priority
    Africa is home to some of the largest reserves of critical and rare earth minerals in the world, yet 90% of critical mineral processing is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. These critical and rare earth minerals are found in iPhones, computer chips, data centers, medical devices, and so many other everyday items. The U.S….
    Jim Baird
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  • opinion

    The US Can Break Free From China’s Control of Rare Earth Minerals
    President Donald Trump has recently signaled his intent to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods due to Beijing’s sweeping restrictions on rare earth minerals. This escalation highlights that the trade conflict between these two nations is far from settled. At the heart of the current dispute are rare earth minerals—a crucial group of…
    Helen Raleigh
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  • opinion

    First US Rare Earth Minerals Mine in 70 Years Will Lessen Dependence on China
    Last week on the Senate floor, I hailed the opening in Sheridan, Wyoming, of the Brook Mine—the first rare earth elements mine to break ground in the U.S. in 70 years. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright recently joined me in Sheridan for its opening and deemed it a “landmark moment” for America’s energy independence. Here’s…
    Sen. John Barrasso
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