The company said the Trump administration’s focus on increasing domestic production of rare earth minerals resulted in additional studies of Cleveland-Cliffs' existing ore bodies and tailings basins.

The United States and Ukraine signed a partnership agreement on April 30 focused on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and other natural resources.

The Chinese regime’s measures targeting the United States include restricting the export of rare earths and critical minerals, and sanctioning U.S. defense companies, among others.

The majority of readers (89 percent) agreed that the United States should produce more rare earths and other critical minerals domestically, even at higher cost, while 4 percent disagreed, and 8 percent said they didn’t know.

NTD has more on what Greer had to say about China's recent rare earth mineral export controls. $2.5 billion in small business loans has been blocked since the government shutdown began. An expert panel discusses this impact of the shutdown.

USA Rare Earth (USAR) said on Dec. 10 that promising results from an early-stage pilot program have led to accelerated plans to enter commercial production of rare earth minerals at its Round Top mine in West Texas.

Rare earth minerals are key ingredients for a variety of high-tech products, from phones, cars, and computer chips to components for military weapons such as tanks and fighter jets.

Washington and Beijing are competing for influence in Brazil, a country rich in rare earth minerals. But how reliable a partner will Brazil be in the race to reduce dependence on China's rare earth supply? A major push in the tech race with China.

The companies targeted by the export controls include rare-earth miners MP Materials Corp. and USA Rare Earth, motor manufacturer Aveox, and defense technology companies Red Cat Holdings and its subsidiary Teal Drones.

In November 2025, President Trump predicted the U.S. could end its dependence on China for rare-earth minerals within 18 months.

Beijing also says it will impose more export controls on rare-earth minerals.

U.S. officials have said the flows of rare earth and critical minerals from China had not met expectations. Bessent on Wednesday said that China has been fulsome in its commitment to buying U.S. soybeans this year.

Speaking with reporters at the White House on Feb. 24, Trump said an economic partnership with Russia could see the United States gain access to some of the country's rare earth minerals.

, and rare earth elements.

"We're also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world."

Rare-earth technology is also subject to controls covering more than shipments of minerals. Rules Beijing announced last October covered technology used in rare-earth mining, refining, metal production, magnet manufacturing and recycling.

Department of War has agreed to pay $750 million to buy rare-earth minerals needed for national security from a mining project in Brazil, officials announced on Aug. 24.

Rare-earth supplies remain unresolved. The White House said the countries continued working to address U.S. concerns about shortages of rare earths and other critical minerals and to restore shipment levels to “appropriate levels.”

The bank said the initiative will increase the capital, resources, and personnel it dedicates to a range of strategic sectors, including rare-earth minerals, pharmaceutical precursors, and robotics.

Trump said after the exchange that the issues concerning the supply of the critical rare earths minerals have been resolved.

The U.S. is signaling it may take drastic steps in response to China’s tightening grip on rare earth minerals—metals used in defense and technology industries. Meanwhile, Trump announced that India has agreed to stop buying oil from Russia.

Rare earth minerals are essential for high-strength magnets used in U.S. weapons systems, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and renewable energy technologies.

Greenland has very valuable rare earth minerals, but also has an outright rare Earth (unique) position for defending North America from air and space attack (think ICBMS), for securing north Atlantic sea lanes and for securing U.S. and Canadian rights

In total, the commitment is expected to be worth US$8.5 billion, with Australia expected to supply 30 rare-earth minerals needed in America.

Rare-earth minerals—used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and advanced defense systems—are a strategic resource in which the CCP holds dominant global processing capacity.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says a low-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official may have made a decision on rare earth mineral export controls without approval from leader Xi Jinping.

President Donald Trump has similarly made cutting China out of U.S. supply chains a central priority, particularly ending U.S. reliance on China for rare-earth minerals, especially heavy rare-earth elements critical to advanced defense technology.

Broader Deals Remain Unsettled Bessent said on Sept. 23 that Beijing had met its soybean-purchase commitment for the year but remained behind on other U.S. agricultural purchases, while U.S. officials said shipments of rare earths and critical minerals

During his visit to Tokyo last year, Trump signed an agreement with Takaichi on cooperation to secure the supply of critical minerals and rare earth metals. U.S.

Earlier this month, Trump said the United States would end its dependence on Chinese rare earth minerals within 18 months.