- The initiative, developed by multiple federal agencies, is currently being discussed with allies and partners.
- U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said the proposed pricing mechanism could help unlock private investment.
- Helberg said the system is expected to roll out through Pax Silica, a program to secure silicon-based supply chains.
Shares of rare earth miners, United States Antimony Corp (UAMY), MP Materials (MP), USA Rare Earth Inc. (USAR), The Metals Company (TMC), gained more than 2% each in pre-market trading on Wednesday after reports that the U.S. is developing a critical minerals price floor system aimed at stabilizing markets and reducing reliance on China.
The U.S. is advancing a critical minerals price-floor system to strengthen supply chains for resources considered vital to national security, according to a Bloomberg report. The initiative, developed by multiple federal agencies, is being discussed with allies and partners as Washington seeks to protect Western companies from market pressures driven by Chinese supply.
“Very Sophisticated” Framework To Stabilize Markets
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said the proposed pricing mechanism could help unlock private investment, calling it a “very sophisticated” framework designed to stabilize markets.
“We have had multiple agencies take a close look at this. They’ve developed a very, very sophisticated price floor system that we are having conversations with our allies and partners about. We’re very excited about it because pricing is the key to unlocking private investment,” Helberg said in an interview with Bloomberg Television at the Defense Tech Leadership Summit.
While Helberg noted that the system is expected to roll out through Pax Silica, a U.S.-led global program aimed at securing silicon-based supply chains, details around how prices will be set, implemented, and enforced remain unclear.
His remarks follow a recent summit hosted by the U.S. that brought together representatives from 55 countries, where the Trump administration outlined plans to introduce price floors and expand private equity participation. According to reports, the U.S. reached agreements with the European Union, Japan, and Mexico to implement policies like price floors to address supply chain vulnerabilities.
How Did Stockwits Users React?
Despite the premarket boost, retail sentiment on Stocktwits for all four stocks was in the ‘bearish’ territory.
One user tracking UAMY said the announcement was “great for the sector.”
Another user highlighted USAR's key support levels and added that they “like the stock, like the company, and like its future prospects”.
Year-to-date, USAR shares have gained nearly 35%, UAMY around 22%, and MP around 4%. TMC shares are down nearly 8% so far in 2026.
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