The Slowly Mounting Mineral Shock

View: Source China’s latest squeeze on mineral exports – and Washington’s threat of retaliation – ends any illusion that critical minerals are a niche matter. They are the scaffolding of modern society. A nearly bewildering array of minerals are essential for everything from defense technologies to EV dreams to the great race for “dominance” in artificial intelligence. Neither America, nor our allies, extract and refine enough key minerals. The United States depends on imports for most (in some cases all) key minerals including copper, …

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How China’s rare earth restrictions could disrupt the U.S. defense industry and reignite a trade war

View: Source China will not allow the export of rare earth materials for use by foreign militaries under restrictions announced last week. Rare earth magnets are crucial components in U.S. weapons such as the F-35 warplane, Tomahawk missiles and drones among other defense systems. The U.S. relies on rare earth imports from China. The restrictions provide President Xi Jinping with significant …

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Auto companies sound alarm over China’s rare earth export clampdown

View: Source In this post: China tightened rare earth export restrictions last week, sparking fears of major supply chain disruptions across Europe’s automotive industry. European car manufacturers are particularly vulnerable since China produces 60% of the world’s rare earth materials. Industry leaders warn that backup stockpiles from earlier restrictions are nearly depleted and want urgent government action to resolve the crisis. …

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Overbought RSI Short Sellers Feed the Bull as Gold Clears $4200 With Power

View: Source Key Points: Gold price hits record $4218.41 as Fed rate cut bets and U.S.-China tensions fuel strong safe-haven demand. Traders price in 96% chance of an October rate cut and 93% for December, boosting the bullish gold market outlook. Strong upside momentum continues to squeeze RSI top-pickers as gold bulls ignore overbought warnings. Gold Price Clears $4200 for First …

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JPMorgan launches $1.5trn initiative to boost critical industries including minerals

View: Source JPMorgan Chase plans to invest up to $10bn in direct equity and venture capital to support select US companies. JPMorgan Chase has unveiled a major Security and Resiliency Initiative, pledging up to $1.5trn over the next decade to facilitate, finance and invest in industries considered critical to national economic security. The initiative aims to address urgent requirements in important …

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China’s rare earth exports fall sharply in September

View: Source China’s rare earth exports fell 31% in September from August, customs data showed on Monday, the third straight month of declines. New controls that were introduced by China last week have threatened a trade truce with Washington and the three months of declines are expected to raise questions about its agreements with Europe and the U.S. to ramp up exports after …

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Pentagon Plans $1B Critical Minerals Buying Spree

View: Source The War Department reportedly moved to buy up to $1 billion in critical minerals as part of an accelerated stockpiling strategy aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains. The Pentagon’s Defense Logistics Agency outlined the bolstered effort in recent filings, the Financial Times reported Saturday night. “They are incredibly focused on the stockpile,” a former defense official told FT. …

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China Implements Export Controls on Lithium Batteries and Key Materials, Covering High-End Batteries and Artificial Graphite Anodes

View: Source The international battery industry landscape is undergoing a new round of adjustments, as China has introduced significant export control measures to strengthen national security barriers. On October 9, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued Announcement No. 58 of 2025, deciding to implement export controls on items related to lithium batteries, cathode materials, …

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‘Conflict of interest’: Experts share concerns of U.S. stakes in Canadian miners

View: Source The U.S. government is increasingly taking stakes in publicly traded companies, including Intel and Canadian-based miners Trilogy Metals and Lithium Americas, giving rise to concerns over the potential for conflict of interest issues to surface. Richard Leblanc, a professor of governance, law and ethics at York University, said it’s unusual to see a foreign government take a stake in …

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The world’s going mad for copper – but tin has just as much going for it

View: Source It flies under the radar, but tin could be the best metal to play the electrification narrative Supply is dominated by unstable jurisdictions like Myanmar, Indonesia and the DRC Rising tin prices are providing support for explorer like Caspin and Stellar Resources Supply disruptions have copper chasing record highs again, with an emerging 600,000t shortfall on copper expected from …

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