Speaker at critical‑minerals forum urges rebuilding mines, securing global supply chains
February 05, 2026 | US Department of State
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An unidentified speaker opened a forum on critical minerals by thanking attendees and the vice president for joining and by framing the meeting as an international effort to secure supply chains.
"Critical minerals are vital to the devices that we use every single day," the speaker said, arguing that these materials underpin infrastructure, industry and national defense. The speaker said the administration has prioritized building a resilient global market with affordable access for all nations.
The speaker pointed to recent domestic steps as an example. "President Trump from day 1 in office has made clear that economic security is national security," the speaker said, and added that in March the president issued an executive order to accelerate permitting reform, increase domestic mining and build reliable supply chains.
As evidence of international activity, the speaker said, "In October alone, the United States secured over $10,000,000,000 in critical mineral agreements across 5 countries." The forum agenda also referenced the PAC Silica Summit, convened by an organizer named Jacob in December, which the speaker said launched a partnership to strengthen the silicon supply chain.
The speaker warned that the United States once produced its own critical minerals but largely outsourced mining and much of manufacturing. Recounting history, the speaker noted the 1949 discovery at Mountain Pass, California, and U.S. rare‑earth production by 1952, saying that early U.S. production helped trigger a wave of technological innovation. "We allowed, for example, Mountain Pass, and with it, most of America's critical mineral industry to wither and to die so that we could focus on manufacturing," the speaker said.
Drawing a historical parallel, the speaker recalled a Washington energy meeting 50 years earlier that led to the creation of the International Energy Agency and urged similar coordinated action now. The immediate proposal described at the forum was to advance bilateral critical‑minerals framework agreements to create alternative sources of supply and to protect all stages of production from mining to refining and manufacturing.
The speaker emphasized that while the initiative may have started with the United States, it must be multilateral: "this initiative here today may be one that started with us, but this is not solely an American initiative." The session then moved to the program, with Minister Hori identified as the next presenter.
No formal votes or binding commitments were recorded in the transcript of this opening statement; the remarks framed goals, recent activity and a proposed path for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
"Critical minerals are vital to the devices that we use every single day," the speaker said, arguing that these materials underpin infrastructure, industry and national defense. The speaker said the administration has prioritized building a resilient global market with affordable access for all nations.
The speaker pointed to recent domestic steps as an example. "President Trump from day 1 in office has made clear that economic security is national security," the speaker said, and added that in March the president issued an executive order to accelerate permitting reform, increase domestic mining and build reliable supply chains.
As evidence of international activity, the speaker said, "In October alone, the United States secured over $10,000,000,000 in critical mineral agreements across 5 countries." The forum agenda also referenced the PAC Silica Summit, convened by an organizer named Jacob in December, which the speaker said launched a partnership to strengthen the silicon supply chain.
The speaker warned that the United States once produced its own critical minerals but largely outsourced mining and much of manufacturing. Recounting history, the speaker noted the 1949 discovery at Mountain Pass, California, and U.S. rare‑earth production by 1952, saying that early U.S. production helped trigger a wave of technological innovation. "We allowed, for example, Mountain Pass, and with it, most of America's critical mineral industry to wither and to die so that we could focus on manufacturing," the speaker said.
Drawing a historical parallel, the speaker recalled a Washington energy meeting 50 years earlier that led to the creation of the International Energy Agency and urged similar coordinated action now. The immediate proposal described at the forum was to advance bilateral critical‑minerals framework agreements to create alternative sources of supply and to protect all stages of production from mining to refining and manufacturing.
The speaker emphasized that while the initiative may have started with the United States, it must be multilateral: "this initiative here today may be one that started with us, but this is not solely an American initiative." The session then moved to the program, with Minister Hori identified as the next presenter.
No formal votes or binding commitments were recorded in the transcript of this opening statement; the remarks framed goals, recent activity and a proposed path for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
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