Critical Minerals Security Program

The Critical Minerals Security Program is a groundbreaking initiative providing leadership as the United States races to build the resilient minerals supply chains needed for national, economic, and energy security

The United States cannot preserve its leadership in national security, economic competitiveness, or energy resilience while remaining dependent on foreign adversaries for critical minerals. Securing these resources demands a bold, modern strategy–one that is market-led, environmentally and socially responsible, builds capacity in both production and processing, and works with allies while also forging new geopolitical alliances with resource-rich Global South countries. The Critical Minerals Security Program will build upon CSIS’s longstanding work with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to support market-led efforts to expand production and processing capabilities to improve domestic and global security. With a new paradigm, the United States can enable its diplomats, policymakers, and private sector actors to develop a secure supply chain and meet the mineral needs of the 21st century.

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Featured Analysis

Photo: Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Photo: Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Industrial Policy Is Back—And Minerals Are at the Center

The United States has revived its industrial policy playbook to support critical minerals through price floors, stockpiles, and equity. But in a sector shaped by geology, cost curves, and market risk, durable security depends on commercial viability—not just public capital.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — February 26, 2026

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Featured Project

Photo: Collection/Adobe Stock

Photo: Collection/Adobe Stock

The Copper Initiative

The Copper Initiative brings together independent analysis, dynamic events, and productive dialogues between government officials, private industry, and subject-matter experts to create policy solutions to meet future copper demand for national security, economic competitiveness and energy resilience

Featured Video Series

Photo: Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images

Mapping Minerals Diplomacy

Mapping Minerals Diplomacy is an explainer series that brings clarity to the deals, players, and policies shaping the global race for critical minerals.

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Featured Report

Photo: adimas/Adobe Stock

Photo: adimas/Adobe Stock

Critical Minerals and the Future of the U.S. Economy

Critical minerals play an indispensable role in the modern economy—yet the U.S. mineral supply chain is highly vulnerable. This edited volume offers comprehensive analysis and recommendations to create resilient supply chains for national, economic, and energy security.

Report by Gracelin Baskaran and Duncan Wood — February 10, 2025

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Industrial Policy Is Back—And Minerals Are at the Center

The United States has revived its industrial policy playbook to support critical minerals through price floors, stockpiles, and equity. But in a sector shaped by geology, cost curves, and market risk, durable security depends on commercial viability—not just public capital.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — February 26, 2026

Critical Minerals Ministerial Introduces New International Cooperation Strategy

At the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, 55 foreign ministers convened to advance minerals security through new bilateral and plurilateral frameworks, marking a shift toward coordinated, market-shaping efforts to stabilize prices and strengthen allied supply chains.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz — February 13, 2026

Audio Briefs

Project Vault: A Minerals Security Backstop

An audio version of "⁠Project Vault: A Minerals Security Backstop⁠," a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Gracelin Baskaran. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Gracelin Baskaran — February 11, 2026

Audio Briefs

Project Vault: A Minerals Security Backstop

Project Vault is a $12 billion EXIM-backed critical minerals stockpile. OEMs commit capital in exchange for access during supply chain disruptions, creating an insurance-style buffer that strengthens industrial resilience and economic security.

Critical Questions by Gracelin Baskaran — February 11, 2026

Securing Critical Mineral Supply: A Government–Industry Dialogue

Join the CSIS Critical Minerals Security Program virtually for public sessions on financing, investment conditions, supply-chain resilience, and public–private coordination, as part of "Securing Critical Mineral Supply: A Government–Industry Dialogue."

Event — February 3, 2026