Project Vault and Much More Will Parry Chinas Monopoly on Rare-Earth Minerals

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Robert Friedland, mining industry financier, as he announces the creation of the U.S. strategic critical minerals reserve during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Feb. 2, 2026. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesCommentaryWashington has launched an ambitious three-pronged program to break China’s current chokehold on the global supply of rare-earth elements. Because these metals are critical to modern technologies—from automobiles to household appliances to artificial intelligence (AI) to jets, to rockets, and to weaponry—there is a clear sense of urgency.