American Leadership Takes on China’s Rare Earth Minerals Dominance
For years, China has held a near-stranglehold on the global supply of critical minerals, controlling much of the cobalt and copper production that powers everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to advanced military equipment. Now, the Trump Administration is taking real steps to change that.
A new U.S.-backed investment by Virtus Minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo represents a significant win in the effort to secure reliable critical mineral supply chains outside of Chinese control. The project will develop two major cobalt and copper mines capable of producing 75,000 tons of copper and 20,000 tons of cobalt each year, thereby strengthening America’s access to resources vital to economic growth.
Fox News reports,
“This is claimed to be the first U.S. rare earth minerals acquisition in the African nation since President Donald Trump announced the Washington Accord last December. Historically, China has been the heavy lifter of these metals. The Strategic Studies Institute reported that 80% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the DRC — and 80% of that is controlled by China. Cobalt, used in a wide range of applications, from electric cars and mobile phones to military jets, is on the U.S. government’s list of critical minerals. Copper, also on the list, has traditional uses such as piping for plumbing, but is also needed in electronics and the automotive industry.”
Energy dominance is about more than producing oil and natural gas. In 2020, we released a study titled “The Fight for Rare Earths,” which explores China’s control over rare earth minerals and what it could mean for the US. This latest investment demonstrates that American leadership is back in the global competition for the resources that will define the decades ahead.
June 24, 2026