Washington, DC [US], February 4 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday hosted the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the Department of State in Washington, bringing together representatives from more than 50 countries to collaborate on securing critical mineral supply chains.
Rubio described the event as a “historic gathering” aimed at building global momentum to secure and diversify supply chains for minerals vital to national security and technological innovation. He said the initiative seeks to reduce reliance on China, which dominates rare earth mining and processing, and to promote economic security through multilateral cooperation.
Addressing the gathering, Rubio said the United States plans to sign new critical minerals framework agreements with several partners. He underscored that the ministerial reflects the billions of dollars already committed by the US government, which he said will enable private sector investment to create reliable supply chains essential to technological innovation, economic strength, and national security.
Highlighting the scale of participation, Rubio noted that 55 partners, including 54 countries and the European Union, were present. He added that many more countries are likely to express interest as the initiative moves forward.
The ministerial brought together delegations from over 50 countries, including key partners such as India, represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Earlier in the day, Rubio emphasized the importance of economic security through critical minerals and the need for allies to work together not only to correct past mistakes but also to pool collective talent and innovation to ensure diversity and affordability in supply chains.
He said mining had come to be seen as less glamorous than designing computers, adding that as countries embraced what was new and fashionable, they outsourced what appeared old and unfashionable. Over time, he said, this resulted in outsourcing economic security itself, leaving nations at the mercy of those who controlled critical mineral supply chains.
Calling the issue an international challenge requiring multilateral solutions, Rubio said critical minerals power infrastructure, industry, and national defense. He stated that the administration’s top priority is to build a global supply chain that is enduring and accessible to every nation at an affordable price.
Rubio also discussed the importance of critical minerals in US domestic policy, recalling President Donald Trump’s view that economic security is national security. He referenced the Pax Silica partnership launched by the United States last year and noted that the discovery of critical minerals in 1949 helped usher in the jet, space, and computer ages.
Recalling a meeting convened by Henry Kissinger five decades ago during a global energy crisis, Rubio said access to oil had become a tool of political pressure at the time. He said the current effort seeks to enhance bilateral critical minerals framework agreements to address similar vulnerabilities today.
He highlighted the diverse roles countries can play, from exercising purchasing power as consumers to refining minerals when they lack domestic access, in order to build a more resilient and diverse global market.
Rubio said that while the initiative began with the United States, it is intended to evolve into a global effort in which like-minded countries work together to ensure secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains, free from leverage or disruptions that could undermine collective economic security.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, US Vice President JD Vance stressed the strategic importance of critical minerals, saying there is nothing more real than oil and adding that critical minerals are equally fundamental. He noted that the initiative provides a platform for allies to support one another, called for more predictable pricing to strengthen supply chains, and emphasized the need to confront shared challenges together.
The United States is hosting the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, DC, bringing together delegations from more than 50 countries to advance collaboration on securing and diversifying global critical mineral supply chains, according to a prior notice issued by the Office of the Spokesperson of the US State Department.
On Monday, ahead of the ministerial, President Trump announced Project Vault, a supply chain security initiative that will establish the US Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve. The reserve will operate as an independently governed public-private partnership designed to store essential raw materials at facilities across the country.
Rubio is chairing the ministerial, which is being described as a historic effort to build collective momentum for cooperation to secure critical minerals essential to technological innovation, economic growth, and national security. (ANI)
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