On February 27, ORF America hosted a private roundtable to explore how the United States can cooperate with partners and allies to diversify and strengthen critical mineral supply chains. The discussion sought to address the effectiveness of alternative critical minerals supply solutions, the impact of China’s export controls on clean-tech markets and industries, and whether existing partnerships must be reevaluated to consider long-term goals and potential domestic contradictions.
Critical minerals are key inputs into advanced technology manufacturing and products, including crucial advances in emerging energy technology and electric vehicles. With friction and competition between the United States and China continuing in critical and emerging technologies advancement, export controls (as well as the threat of higher tariffs) have increased tensions. Over the same period, the People’s Republic of China initially implemented several soft licensing controls with an explicit ban on exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, and antimony, as well as restrictions on high-purity graphite exports, with further limits implemented in early 2025.
The United States, allied governments, U.S. companies, and allied and partner companies, well aware of China’s chokehold over raw mining or processing of certain critical minerals, rare earths, and critical materials, established the Mineral Security Partnership to address these challenges through partners like Japan, Australia, the European Union, India, and many others as well as exploring domestic discovery, mining, and processing options. However, many large economies' medium-term needs for critical minerals in clean energy face supply risks (e.g., import dependence, availability to meet demand) for several minerals.
The roundtable was attended by officials from the U.S. Department of State, members of the European Commission, representatives from the diplomatic corps, business groups, think tanks, and consultancy firms.
Speakers:
Moderator: Jeffrey D. Bean, Program Manager, ORF America
Barbara Glowacka, Member of the Cabinet, Office of the Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, European Commission
Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America
Mahnaz Khan, Vice President of Policy, Critical Supply Chains, Silverado Policy Accelerator
Eike Klapper, First Secretary - Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs/Trade and Agriculture Section, Delegation of the European Union to the United States
Michael Newbill, Senior Advisor, Critical Mineral Supply Chains, U.S. Department of State
Amb. Geoffrey R. Pyatt, Former Assistant Secretary of State, ENR Bureau, U.S. Department of State
Aditya Ramji, Director, India ZEV Center at UC Davis
