Critical Minerals Security Program

The Critical Minerals Security Program is a groundbreaking initiative providing leadership as the United States races to build the resilient minerals supply chains needed for national, economic, and energy security

The United States cannot preserve its leadership in national security, economic competitiveness, or energy resilience while remaining dependent on foreign adversaries for critical minerals. Securing these resources demands a bold, modern strategy–one that is market-led, environmentally and socially responsible, builds capacity in both production and processing, and works with allies while also forging new geopolitical alliances with resource-rich Global South countries. The Critical Minerals Security Program will build upon CSIS’s longstanding work with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to support market-led efforts to expand production and processing capabilities to improve domestic and global security. With a new paradigm, the United States can enable its diplomats, policymakers, and private sector actors to develop a secure supply chain and meet the mineral needs of the 21st century.

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Featured Analysis

Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

New Executive Order Ties U.S. Critical Minerals Security to Global Partnerships

A new executive order makes international cooperation central to U.S. critical minerals security, targeting processed minerals where China dominates. It pairs allied supply agreements with trade tools—and potential price supports—to reduce vulnerabilities.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran — January 15, 2026

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Featured Project

Photo: Collection/Adobe Stock

Photo: Collection/Adobe Stock

The Copper Initiative

The Copper Initiative brings together independent analysis, dynamic events, and productive dialogues between government officials, private industry, and subject-matter experts to create policy solutions to meet future copper demand for national security, economic competitiveness and energy resilience

Featured Video Series

Photo: Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images

Mapping Minerals Diplomacy

Mapping Minerals Diplomacy is an explainer series that brings clarity to the deals, players, and policies shaping the global race for critical minerals.

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Featured Report

Photo: adimas/Adobe Stock

Photo: adimas/Adobe Stock

Critical Minerals and the Future of the U.S. Economy

Critical minerals play an indispensable role in the modern economy—yet the U.S. mineral supply chain is highly vulnerable. This edited volume offers comprehensive analysis and recommendations to create resilient supply chains for national, economic, and energy security.

Report by Gracelin Baskaran and Duncan Wood — February 10, 2025

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Executive Education

Driving Critical Minerals Security

Investigate the risks facing U.S. critical minerals security in this one-day course.

Course Date: January 27, 2026
Registration Closes: January 19, 2026

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

Audio Briefs

Is Venezuela a Critical Minerals Target?

An audio version of “⁠Is Venezuela a Critical Minerals Target?⁠,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS’s Gracelin Baskaran. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Gracelin Baskaran — January 6, 2026

Audio Briefs

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