U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s push to end Washington¡¯s reliance on Chinese critical minerals by January is colliding with a stark reality: American miners and processors aren¡¯t ready.
Trump has made U.S. mining and processing of critical minerals a national security priority since returning to office, pouring tens of billions of dollars into nearly 150 minerals companies to loosen China¡¯s grip on supply chains for weapons and other strategic products.
The defense industry and other manufacturers are now just over five months away from a January 1, 2027, deadline under federal regulations to stop purchasing rare earths, magnets, tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum from China, Russia, Iran or North Korea.
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