Critical minerals have become a cornerstone of US foreign policy, with American embassies worldwide increasingly focused on securing supply chains and reducing reliance on China, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers.
Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs, Rubio said the administration has made critical minerals a key diplomatic priority as strategic competition with China expands beyond trade and technology into resource security.
“In every embassy around the world, critical minerals are a key component of our diplomacy,” Rubio said.
He described critical minerals as vital for advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, defence systems, semiconductors and clean energy technologies, adding that Washington is working with partners across multiple regions to build alternative supply chains and reduce vulnerabilities linked to China’s dominance in mineral mining, refining and processing.
Critical Minerals Ministerial Expanding
Highlighting recent diplomatic efforts, Rubio noted that more than three dozen countries participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial, underscoring growing international cooperation on resource security.
According to Rubio, the US strategy goes beyond securing access to mineral deposits and increasingly focuses on expanding processing and refining capacity outside China.
“The ability to process those materials into a usable product” is now as important as access to the raw resources themselves, he said, calling it a key element of both economic and national security planning.
Rubio said US diplomats are working with governments worldwide to identify supply-chain risks and connect countries with alternative sources of investment and development.
He argued that many developing nations have often had limited options for infrastructure and industrial projects, with Chinese firms frequently emerging as the primary investors.
To counter that trend, the United States is promoting American and allied participation in sectors ranging from mining and mineral processing to transportation and logistics infrastructure. The effort includes the use of financing tools and partnerships with like-minded nations to support strategic projects, particularly in mineral-rich regions.
Rubio also warned that supply-chain risks extend beyond critical minerals, citing the dangers of excessive dependence on a single country for key industries.
The issue has gained urgency as countries race to secure the raw materials required for electric vehicles, battery production, renewable energy systems and emerging artificial intelligence technologies.