The CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program has released its weekly "Critical Insights" newsletter, highlighting a new report on the historical link between minerals security and U.S. national defense, alongside expert analysis on recent Chinese export controls targeting U.S. rare earth companies and global efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains.
The report, "Minerals at War: Strategic Resources and the Foundations of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base," by Gracelin Baskaran and Samantha Dady, emphasizes that resource dominance or its absence has consistently shaped economic and national security outcomes throughout U.S. history, particularly during twentieth-century military industrialization.
Recent developments include China's new export controls on ten U.S. firms, including MP Materials and USA Rare Earth. Gracelin Baskaran, who was recently honored with the Industry Influencer Award, commented on these controls, saying, "China has retained their leverage, and this week’s export controls show they’re willing to deploy that leverage." She added, "It’s less about it having a huge impact on a company like MP Materials and more about the fact that China is still flexing that export control muscle."
Baskaran also discussed China's restrictions and the G7's efforts towards supply chain resilience on Bloomberg Businessweek and BNN Bloomberg. Meredith from the program joined TaiwanPlus to explain how China uses rare earths as a geopolitical lever, creating vulnerabilities in the defense industry, especially concerning Taiwan security. The program aims to provide policy leadership for resilient mineral supply chains vital for national, economic, and energy security.