What is the US strategic minerals stockpile?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 6 min read 100% complete by Andy HirschfeldFebruary 3, 2026 at 12:51 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

In February 2026, President Trump announced Project Vault, a $12 billion strategic minerals stockpile initiative. The project combines $2 billion in private capital with a $10 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank. This effort aims to secure rare-earth minerals essential for producing goods like semiconductors, smartphones, and electric car batteries. The goal is to prevent shortages that could harm American businesses and workers. This initiative follows previous investments, including equity stakes acquired in 2025 in companies like USA Rare Earth, supported by funding from the CHIPS Act. The US government also obtained a stake in Korea Zinc to fund a smelter in Tennessee. These actions seek to reduce US reliance on other countries, particularly China, for critical rare-earth materials.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Korea Zinc 30% France 30% India 30% Tennessee 30% CHIPS Act 40% Joe Biden 40% US Export-Import Bank 50% USA Rare Earth ×250% White House ×260% China ×270% United States ×580% Donald Trump ×690%

Keywords

strategic minerals stockpile 100% rare-earth minerals 90% dependence on china 80% us export-import bank 70% project vault 60% supply chain 60% semiconductor chips 60% usa rare earth 50% chips act 50%