Trump Unveils $12B Mineral Stockpile; 40 Nations Meet

Trump announces a $12B critical mineral stockpile dubbed "Project Vault" as officials from 40 nations gather in DC to counter China's market dominance.

The White House has launched a major economic and security initiative a $12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals branded "Project Vault." The announcement was timed as officials from at least 40 allied and partner nations are arriving in Washington D.C. for an unprecedented summit aimed at building a cooperative minerals market to counter China's overwhelming supply chain dominance.

Project Vault is designed to rapidly amass reserves of minerals vital for defense systems, electric vehicles, and advanced electronics, including lithium, cobalt, rare earths, and high-purity graphite. The stockpile will be financed through a combination of Defense Production Act funds, federal budget reallocations, and long-term contracts with vetted domestic and allied mining operations. Administration officials framed it as a necessary "insurance policy" against supply coercion and market manipulation.

"This isn't just a warehouse; it's a strategic vault for the sinews of modern industry and power," said President Trump during the unveiling. "While we welcome international cooperation, Project Vault ensures America's core needs are secured independently, at home."

The parallel diplomatic summit, titled the "Allied Minerals Security Dialogue," seeks to establish shared procurement standards, co-invest in processing facilities outside of China, and create a collective buffer stock mechanism to stabilize prices during geopolitical shocks. Key participants include Australia (a major lithium producer), Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and several EU and African nations with mineral resources.

Analysts see the dual-track approach a unilateral U.S. stockpile and a multilateral buyers' alliance as a powerful, coordinated escalation in the economic competition with Beijing. "China has weaponized its near-monopoly in processing. This shows the Chinese supply chain dominance, also this is the first coherent, capitalist response: using market power and state capital to build a parallel, resilient supply web," commented a senior fellow at a D.C. think tank.

Critics question the high cost and potential market distortion of massive government stockpiling, arguing that investment should prioritize recycling, substitution, and environmental standards for new mines. Proponents counter that the immediate vulnerability is too great, and Project Vault provides the "breathing room" needed for those long-term technologies to mature.

The first procurement under Project Vault is expected to focus on neodymium for permanent magnets and cobalt for aerospace alloys, with initial contracts to be awarded by the end of Q2 2026.