On February 25, 2026, the United States hosted the 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, D.C., bringing together representatives from over 50 allied and partner nations to coordinate strategies for reshaping the global market for critical minerals and rare earths.
The event was co-chaired by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer — reflecting the whole-of-government approach the administration has taken toward mineral security.
The ministerial resulted in several key announcements:
- New bilateral agreements with Australia, Canada, and Brazil for critical mineral supply partnerships
- A joint investment framework to channel allied-nation capital into non-Chinese processing capacity
- Agreement on common environmental and labor standards for “trusted supplier” certification
- Launch of a Critical Minerals Early Warning System to detect supply disruptions
The gathering was motivated by growing concern over China’s tightening grip on mineral supply chains. In recent years, China has imposed export controls on gallium, germanium, and antimony, and has signaled willingness to restrict rare earth exports as a geopolitical tool.
Currently, China controls approximately 60% of global rare earth mining, 90% of rare earth processing, and over 90% of yttrium production. The ministerial’s stated goal is to reduce allied dependence on any single nation to below 50% for any critical mineral by 2030.
Interior Secretary Burgum announced that the Department of the Interior would expedite mineral surveys on federal lands to identify new domestic deposits, while Energy Secretary Wright committed DOE resources to developing more efficient mineral processing technologies.
The ministerial is expected to be an annual event, with Canada hosting the 2027 session.