November 10, 2025
November 10, 2025
From the smartphones in our pockets to the electric vehicles on our roads, modern life runs on batteries—and batteries run on minerals. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, copper, and rare earth elements form the foundation of both everyday technology and the energy transition. These minerals power the rechargeable batteries that keep our phones, laptops, and power tools running, as well as the grid-scale storage systems that make solar and wind energy reliable.
Yet while global demand for these resources is skyrocketing, the United States remains heavily reliant on foreign suppliers. China dominates global refining and processing, leaving the U.S. vulnerable to price shocks and geopolitical leverage. To ensure energy security and economic resilience, policymakers must act now to streamline permitting, expand domestic processing, and increase federal investment in mineral R&D and mine development.
Critical minerals aren’t just needed for renewable energy—they’re in the batteries that power everyday life. According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Critical Materials Assessment, a single smartphone battery contains lithium and cobalt; laptops and tablets rely on nickel and graphite; and magnets in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines depend on rare earths such as neodymium and dysprosium. Copper and aluminum, meanwhile, form the wiring and conductors that make all these systems possible.
The overlap between consumer electronics and clean energy creates a powerful challenge: as the world transitions to renewables, demand for these same materials is expected to quadruple by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) report, “The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions.” The IEA also notes in its World Energy Outlook that electric vehicles alone may require six times more mineral input than conventional cars.
Despite having significant reserves of lithium, copper, and rare earths, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the United States remains more than 50 percent import-dependent for 47 key minerals—and 100 percent import-reliant for 15 of them, including natural graphite and manganese. The IEA has found in its 2023 report, “Energy Technology Perspectives,” that China refines about 60 percent of global lithium and cobalt and nearly 90 percent of rare earth elements, giving it near-total control of the midstream supply chain. Between 2020 and 2023, China supplied roughly 70 percent of U.S. rare earth imports.
This dependence is unsustainable. Delays in project permitting, limited refining capacity, and inconsistent federal funding are bottlenecking the domestic mineral supply chain. Without decisive action, the U.S. risks trading one dependency—on foreign oil—for another: on imported minerals that power both clean energy and digital technology.
Permitting remains one of the largest barriers to mineral development in the United States. A new mine can take seven to ten years to receive federal approval, compared to two to three years in countries like Canada or Australia. This slow pace discourages investment, pushes projects overseas, and delays U.S. progress toward energy independence.
A modernized permitting framework should focus on coordination, efficiency, and accountability—not additional complexity. Key reforms include:
Several bipartisan bills have proposed reforms along these lines, including the Building American Energy and Mineral Security Act, Revitalizing the Permitting Process for Mining in America Act, and elements within broader energy permitting proposals. Streamlining does not mean cutting corners—it means replacing duplication with clarity. By setting timelines and consolidating authority, the U.S. could cut mine permitting times in half, unlocking critical projects and drawing in private investment.
Even when new mines open, most U.S.-produced minerals are still sent overseas for refining—often to China—for conversion into usable materials like battery-grade lithium carbonate or separated rare earth oxides. This midstream weakness leaves the United States vulnerable even if mining expands domestically.
Building domestic processing capacity is essential for both economic and national security. Policy priorities include:
By keeping mineral processing at home, the United States can capture more value, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign actors. It also strengthens the economic case for domestic manufacturing of batteries, EVs, and renewable technologies.
Even with efficient permitting and expanded processing, mineral development requires long-term federal investment. Exploration and early-stage mine development are high-risk and capital-intensive—often too uncertain for private investors without public-sector support.
To close that gap, the federal government should:
Federal investment multiplies private capital and strengthens national resilience. According to DOE, the U.S. has already committed more than $3 billion in grants and cost-share agreements to build domestic battery and critical mineral capacity. Expanding these programs will accelerate project timelines and ensure the U.S. remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.
Recent policy actions demonstrate growing recognition of the need for a secure mineral supply chain:
Still, more comprehensive action is needed. To meet projected demand for both new energy infrastructure and everyday batteries, federal policy must continue to prioritize permitting reform, processing, and funding—not just strategy statements.
The path to energy independence and technological leadership runs through mineral security. By modernizing permitting, expanding domestic processing, and investing in innovation, the United States can ensure that the minerals powering both our clean energy transition and our daily lives are produced, refined, and manufactured right here at home.
Minerals make it happen—powering our phones, our cars, and our nation’s future.
November 10, 2025
October 14, 2025
