The Trump administration has expanded the US list of critical minerals, adding 10 more minerals deemed essential to the US economy and national security. These include copper—which is vital for electric vehicles, power grids, and data centers—as well as metallurgical coal and uranium, both necessary for steelmaking and nuclear fuel.
According to foreign media reports, the updated critical minerals list was released by the US Department of the Interior on the 6th and is intended to guide federal investment and approval decisions, as well as help the government develop a broader mineral strategy.
The Trump administration's expansion of the critical minerals list aims to boost domestic mineral extraction and reduce reliance on imports, especially those from economic competitors such as China.
Interior Secretary Burgum stated that the expanded list “provides a clear and data-driven roadmap to reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, expand domestic production, and unleash American innovation potential.”
The new list also includes enriched uranium for nuclear reactor fuel, boron, lead, phosphate, potash, rhenium, silicon, and silver.
This list serves as a blueprint for Washington's efforts to secure supplies of materials needed for defense, manufacturing, and clean energy technologies. It determines which projects are eligible for federal incentives, informs national reserve and research priorities, and signals to private investors which sectors the government sees as having long-term strategic value.