The United States is moving to build new stockpiles of critical minerals as part of an effort aimed at countering China’s dominance over supply chains that run through Africa and other parts of the Global South and underpin clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and defense industries.
The initiative, known as Project Vault, would establish strategic reserves of minerals including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earths—materials often mined in African countries but largely processed in China. U.S. officials say the stockpiles are intended to reduce exposure to supply disruptions and price volatility.
