New ‘Project Vault’ critical minerals stockpile is ‘first step of many’ needed for U.S. to break China’s supply-chain chokehold

The new “Project Vault” critical minerals stockpile launched by the White House and the U.S. Export-Import Bank is “absolutely” needed, but it represents just the first step of many to break China’s supply-chain dominance of minerals, including rare earths, over several years to come, industry analysts said.

The plans for the emergency national stockpile of certain critical minerals, announced Feb. 2, comes after the Trump administration already has taken the unusual step of making direct...