The U.S. government - under President Trump’s direction - just announced it’s planning to build a $12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals like lithium, nickel, rare earths and more as a way to reduce reliance on China’s grip on these materials.
Think of it as a “Strategic Minerals Reserve” - similar in idea to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve - but for the metals that build electric vehicles, jets, missiles, semiconductors and the future economy.
Instead of letting China dominate 90 % of global rare-earth and critical mineral processing, the U.S. will use a $10 billion Export-Import Bank loan plus ~$1.7 billion of private money to buy and store these essential materials.
This is a big deal - not just politics or talk - because these materials are the lifeblood of the future of innovation national defense, and almost every advanced industrial supply chain that matters.
What’s Happening In The Stocks
After this news broke, critical minerals and rare-earth stock prices started moving - which is exactly what we traders live for. But it’s not a simple “all green” story. Here’s the real picture:
A few stocks that have been in the spotlight:
Critical Metals (CRML): Focused on advancing critical and strategic metal projects, particularly in rare earth elements and battery-relevant materials.
The Metals Company (TMC): Global leader in the future of deep sea mining for critical metals.
MP Materials (MP): A true U.S. rare-earth heavyweight that is often referred to as the “core domestic rare-earth play.”
USA Rare Earth (USAR): A U.S.-based rare-earth company developing mining and domestic processing assets.
Trilogy Metals (TMQ): A development-stage miner advancing large copper, zinc, and precious-metal deposits in Alaska.
What This Means For You
If you’re a casual retail investor, here’s the bottom line:
1. This is structural - not a flash-in-the-pan headline.
The U.S. is signaling serious intent to control supply chains for minerals that underpin EVs, semiconductors, defense, and more.
2. That’s potentially bullish for quality miners & processors.
If the government will buy and hold strategic materials, that tends to support demand and pricing over time - especially for domestic producers.
3. Volatility is part of the game.
These stocks move fast around policy headlines. News can spark both rallies and sell-offs - which means you don’t want to chase spikes blindly. Look for entries on dips, not after the headlines go vertical.
4. Long runway ≠ short-term guaranteed profits.
You should think like an owner, not a headline chaser; low liquidity and policy risk can make these stocks choppy before they trend.
My Takeaway
This $12 billion strategy isn’t a one-off press release - it’s a strategic shift for the U.S. in securing its position in the most critical raw materials of the 21st century.
For investors, that translates into a thematic opportunity in miners and processors that help fuel America’s decoupling from China’s rare-earth dominance.
For the retail investors who wants exposure I suggest you reach out about my flagship investment research newsletter – The McCall Letter. Our portfolio that focuses on the critical minerals has more than 5X the market since its launch in late 2024.
Here’s to your future,
Matt McCall
Founder, NXT Wave Research
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