Pentagon Seeks Domestic Mining Proposals to Reduce China Reliance

The United States Department of Defense requested proposals from the Defense Industrial Base Consortium on February 28, 2026, to increase domestic supplies of 13 critical minerals. The Pentagon offered development funds between $100 million and over $500 million for projects focused on mining, processing, or recycling materials such as tungsten, germanium, and yttrium, which are essential for weapons and semiconductor production.

This initiative is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reduce reliance on the Government of China, the dominant global producer of these minerals. The move follows Chinese export restrictions and ongoing trade disputes where China has used market control as diplomatic leverage.

Industry responses include Guardian Metal Resources PLC, which plans to apply for funding for two tungsten projects in Nevada, and Energy Fuels Holdings Corp., which is developing facilities to process gadolinium and samarium by 2027. The request for proposals occurred one day before the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran. Simultaneously, at least 30 news organizations reportedly declined a new Pentagon access policy for journalists.