US plans USD 12 billion critical minerals stockpile
The United States is preparing to establish a USD 12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals, a move aimed at reducing supply chain exposure to China and strengthening domestic access to raw materials used across electronics, EVs and defence systems.
According to Reuters — citing US officials and earlier reporting by Bloomberg News — the initiative would combine a USD 10 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of the United States with an additional USD 2 billion in private funding. The programme is expected to finance the acquisition and storage of materials such as lithium, nickel and rare earth elements, all of which are key inputs for batteries, semiconductors, power electronics and advanced communications technologies.
The stated aim is to ensure that US industry can continue operating for a period of time in the event of major supply disruptions. Many of these minerals play a critical role not only in EV supply chains, but also in RF components, defence electronics and industrial control systems.
Reuters reported that the plan was presented as part of broader efforts to rebuild domestic supply chains in areas where China currently holds a dominant position, particularly in rare earth processing and refining. Industry representatives were present during the announcement, underscoring the growing role of industrial policy in securing upstream materials for technology manufacturing.
Beyond stockpiling, the structure is expected to include governance mechanisms linked to federal financing, potentially giving the US government a more direct role in how strategic mineral reserves are managed. The initiative follows several years of concern in Washington over the concentration of critical mineral supply and processing capacity outside the US and Europe.
For the electronics industry, the move signals continued policy support for securing upstream inputs that are increasingly seen as foundational to semiconductor, battery and advanced systems production.
