US Expands Critical Minerals List – Adds Copper, Silver, Uranium In Effort To Reduce Chinese Imports

• The updated list from the U.S. Geological Survey now includes 60 minerals, up from 50 in 2022.
• The list also guides investment, permitting, and tax incentives for domestic mining and mineral processing projects.
• Silver’s addition has reportedly raised concerns among traders and manufacturers, who warn that tariffs could disrupt markets.

In an effort to shore up domestic production and reduce reliance on Chinese imports, the U.S. government has added copper, silver, and uranium, among others, to its list of critical minerals.

Critical minerals, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, graphite, and rare earth elements, are essential to modern technologies, ranging from batteries and wind turbines to electric vehicle motors and power grids.

The updated list from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) now includes 60 minerals, up from 50 in 2022, with new additions such as metallurgical coal, potash, rhenium, silicon, and lead, as well as 15 rare earth elements.

The list also guides investment, permitting, and tax incentives for domestic mining and mineral processing projects.

Why Is This Important?

The revised list will shape the Trump administration’s Section 232 investigation into processed critical minerals and related products. The investigation analyses national security risks posed by the country’s reliance on imported processed critical minerals and their derivative products, according to a White House fact sheet.

Rare earth elements have been the key factor in the ongoing “tariff war” between the U.S. and China. The Asian nation controls roughly 70% of global rare earth mining and nearly 90% of processing capacity, giving it substantial influence over the sector. Any disruption in the supply chain causes significant damage to key manufacturing sectors.

Potential Impact On Global Supply Chains

Industry groups had urged the U.S. to include copper and potash on its list of critical minerals, citing their importance to manufacturing and infrastructure, according to a Bloomberg report. The country relies on imports for about 80% of its potash and nearly half its copper, mainly from Chile, Peru, and Canada, with refining concentrated in China.

However, the addition of silver raised concerns among traders and manufacturers, who warn that tariffs could disrupt markets, given its crucial role in electronics, solar panels, and medical devices.

Increased Domestic Spending

The White House has stepped up its efforts over the past months to increase domestic production of critical minerals. The U.S. has taken stakes in companies such as Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Critical Metals, and Trilogy Metals. The White House has also stated that it is in talks with many other companies over potential stakes.

Earlier this week, the U.S. government funded Vulcan Elements, which makes rare-earth magnets, and ReElement Technologies, which processes and recycles rare-earth minerals. 

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