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China’s Rare Earth Campaign Against Japan

China’s imposition of new rare earth export restrictions on Japan, following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan, represents an escalation in China–Japan tensions and highlights Beijing’s increasing reliance on mineral export controls as a deterrence tool.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — January 13, 2026

Greenland, Rare Earths, and Arctic Security

Greenland holds globally significant rare earth resources, but harsh conditions and weak infrastructure have stalled mining. U.S. interests are best advanced not through coercion, but coordinated investment with European allies to counter China’s influence.

Report by Meredith Schwartz and Gracelin Baskaran — January 8, 2026

Is Venezuela a Critical Minerals Target?

Venezuela sits on sizable gold resources—but geology alone doesn’t make a minerals power. With nationalization, informal mining, and deep governance risks, do minerals factor into U.S. strategy at all, or remain largely irrelevant?

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran — January 5, 2026

Stabilizing Cobalt Markets: A Price Floor for U.S. Minerals Security

U.S. cobalt security is threatened by severe price volatility driven by PRC oversupply, which has pushed Western mines—including the only U.S. cobalt mine—offline. The United States should use a price floor for strategic projects needed for national and economic security.

Brief by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — December 10, 2025

What’s in the New U.S.-Saudi Minerals Agreement?

The U.S.-Saudi minerals partnership marks a realignment in global supply chains—pairing Saudi Arabia’s vast heavy rare earth reserves with significant U.S. investment to build a mine-to-magnet pathway that directly reduces China’s leverage and strengthens allied security.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran — November 19, 2025

Ten Years of C5+1: U.S.–Central Asia Minerals Cooperation

Amid a changing donor landscape, the United States has an opportunity to realign and leverage its full range of financing tools to promote economic growth abroad while safeguarding its national security interests.

Commentary by Gracelin Baskaran and Kamal Aubakirov — November 4, 2025

Ahead of APEC, Trump Signs Flurry of Bilateral Minerals Agreements on Asia Tour

Leading up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, President Trump signed new bilateral minerals agreements between the United States and Australia, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand, marking an escalation in minerals diversification efforts.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — October 31, 2025

Six Months Since the U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal Was Signed—What Now?

Six months ago, the U.S. and Ukraine launched the Reconstruction Investment Fund, placing critical minerals at its core to advance Ukraine’s economic recovery and enhance U.S. minerals security. What progress has been made to date, and what key actions are still required?

Commentary by Gracelin Baskaran — October 30, 2025