White House moves to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals

President Trump has directed federal agencies to fast-track critical minerals production projects in the U.S. and identify financing, including through the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, to facilitate such projects, reduce reliance on Chinese minerals imports and shore up domestic supply chains. The March 20 executive order is largely aimed at accelerating various regulatory processes and opening up federal land for critical minerals production, but it also invokes the Defense Production Act to boost domestic...