The United States has become more dependent on foreign imports of minerals over the past year, according to a recent analysis by the US Geological Survey, underscoring the need to strengthen its local supply chains.
For 16 of the 90 non-fuel commodities it tracked last year, the USGS was entirely dependent on imports, according to its annual mineral commodities review released on Friday. Furthermore, the survey revealed that the United States depended on 54 of the minerals for over half of its apparent consumption.According to the USGS, the 2024 data revealed that 15 commodities were entirely dependent on imports, while 46 minerals were more than half-reliant on imports.
Arsenic (all kinds), asbestos, cesium, fluorspar, gallium, graphite (natural), indium, manganese, mica (natural), niobium (columbium), rubidium, scandium, strontium, tantalum, titanium (sponge metal), and yttrium are all imported into the United States, as the study emphasizes. The only ones that are not on the USGS essential minerals list are strontium, mica, and asbestos.
The USGS reported that 20 more important minerals have a net import reliance of more than 50%, compared to 28 in 2024.
The chokehold of China
China is a major source of supply for many of the USGS essential minerals, including 70% of rare earths, 55% of antimony, and nearly half of graphite and arsenic imports.
In a press release, Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), stated, “This report highlights just how difficult it is to put a dent in China’s decades-long strategy to dominate the world’s minerals markets.”
Canada is a major supplier of essential minerals to the United States, including zinc, aluminum, gallium, and potash. Chile was the top import source for copper, while Mexico was the top import source for silver, both of which were recently added to the USGS list.
The US government is stepping up its attempts to create a vital minerals supply chain that is not dependent on China at the same time as the USGS study. The Trump administration announced plans for a $12 billion vital minerals stockpile earlier this week. Subsequently, Vice President JD Vance declared his intention to organize partners into a special trading bloc for vital resources.
According to Nolan, “it still takes an average of 29 years to bring a mine online in the US, despite the fact that our administration and Congress have come together around the need to de-risk our supply chains and reshore minerals production and processing.”
“That is much too lengthy. The administration’s prompt response has been crucial in reviving domestic mining activities, but in order to provide the kind of long-term confidence that mining businesses require to commit to long-term investments in US projects, Congress must take action on permitting reform.
mining.com
