In the ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China, critical metals have emerged as a key strategic issue. These materials, which include rare earth elements (REEs), lithium, cobalt, graphite, uranium, and others, are essential for industries ranging from defense to renewable energy. As global demand for these resources grows, securing stable supply chains has become a geopolitical priority. The United States relies heavily on imports for many critical metals, particularly from China, which dominates the global production and processing of REEs, graphite, and other essential minerals. China’s near-monopoly on refining these materials gives it significant leverage in trade negotiations. As tensions escalate, Beijing has used its control over critical metals as a strategic tool, imposing export restrictions that threaten U.S. supply chains.

At the recent mining Indaba in Cape Town, we spoke to several miners of and analysts of critical metals about the importance these metals will play in the current trade wars, instigated by Trumps implementation of tariffs on China and other parts of the world