The missing link in America’s critical minerals push isn’t mining – it’s processing expertise

The Conversation · May 11, 2026 · 1136 words · By Alan Collins; Hélène Nguemgaing

The article discusses the challenges the United States faces in rebuilding its domestic critical mineral supply chain, specifically focusing on the loss of processing capacity and technical expertise. It argues that while resource extraction is growing, the lack of a skilled workforce and industrial infrastructure remains a primary bottleneck.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/the-missing-link-in-americas-critical-minerals-push-…

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10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

20 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

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verified Verified By Reference 5

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“The United States is spending billions of dollars to secure access to critical minerals”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm the U.S. is pursuing strategies to secure critical minerals for defense and clean energy, including potential deals and encouraging allied processing capacity.

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web search NEUTRAL — Critical minerals are the quiet enablers of modern power. They sit at the heart of technologies that define contemporary life and security, including electric vehicles, satellites, precision-guided we…
https://a16z.com/its-time-to-mine-securing-critical-minerals…

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web search NEUTRAL — US President Donald Trump has made access to these minerals a priority, with potential mining deals part of his plans for both Greenland and Ukraine. But it is China which dominates processing and upo…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6wwx7zxd9o

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web search NEUTRAL — The United States, meanwhile, is pursuing a dual-track strategy: securing access to critical minerals for defense and clean energy industries while also encouraging allied countries to develop process…
https://saudipress.com/saudi-arabia-deepens-critical-mineral…

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“Since the 1990s, however, the United States has lost much of its critical mineral processing capacity.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant results about United Airlines and general Wikipedia entries about the U.S. government, with no mention of mineral processing capacity.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, a federal district (Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States), five major territories, and minor islands. Bot…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_and_territories…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

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“The United States was a global leader in rare earth minerals from 1965 through the mid-1980s.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The evidence provided contains irrelevant Wikipedia entries about the 1965 U.S. Open and the Kinks' tour. While web results mention the U.S. trying to 'reclaim' its mantle, they do not explicitly confirm the 1965-mid-1980s leadership timeframe.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The English rock band the Kinks staged their first concert tour of the United States in June and July 1965. The sixteen concerts comprised the third stage of a world tour, following shows in Australas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kinks'_1965_US_tour

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1965 U.S. Open was the 65th U.S. Open, held June 17–21 at Bellerive Country Club in Town and Country, Missouri, a suburb west of St. Louis. Gary Player of South Africa defeated Kel Nagle of Austra…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965_U.S._Open_(golf)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart–Celler Act and more recently as the 1965 Immigration Act, was a federal law passed by the 89th United States Congress and signed int…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Nationality_Ac…

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“It produced about 15,000 metric tons a year, about three times the amount produced by the rest of the world.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The evidence provided is irrelevant (silver mining, 1965 golf/music) or does not contain the specific production figures (15,000 metric tons) mentioned in the claim.

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“The Mountain Pass mine in California supplied the majority of the world’s rare earth elements used in electronics and the defense industry.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia explicitly identifies the Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine as an open-pit mine of rare-earth elements in California owned by MP Materials Corp.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of mountain passes and gaps in California. California is geographically diverse with numerous roads and railways traversing within its borders. In the middle of the U.S. state …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountain_passes_in_Cal…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mountain Pass is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is situated on Interstate 15 in the southeast mountainous desert region of the state approximately …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass,_California

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine and Processing Facility, owned by MP Materials Corp., is an open-pit mine of rare-earth elements on the south flank of the Clark Mountain Range in California, 53 mile…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_Rare_Earth_Mine

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“wastewater pipeline leaks that released radioactive wastewater into the Mojave Desert during the 1980s and 1990s”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While there is evidence of chromium-tainted wastewater in Hinkley, Mojave Desert, there is no specific evidence provided regarding radioactive wastewater pipeline leaks from a rare earth mine in the 80s/90s.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — From 1952 to 1966, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) dumped about 370 million U.S. gallons (1.4×109 liters) of chromium-tainted wastewater into unlined wastewater spreading ponds around the town…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_groundwater_contaminat…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake is a large military installation in California that supports the research, testing and evaluation programs of the United States Navy. It is part of Navy Reg…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Weapons_Station_Chin…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — There are several solar power plants in the Mojave Desert which supply power to the electricity grid. Insolation (solar radiation) in the Mojave Desert is among the best available in the United States…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_plants_in_the_Moja…

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“U.S. production of rare earth elements fell sharply – to near zero by the early 2000s, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result mentions the USGS stating the US has just over 2% of global supply and needs to establish processing, but it does not explicitly confirm the 'near zero by early 2000s' figure.

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web search NEUTRAL — Although the US has rare earth mineral reserves, just over 2% of global supply according to the US Geological Survey, it could take years to establish processing capabilities.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6wwx7zxd9o

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web search NEUTRAL — Close. USGS: Science for a Changing World.
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/

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web search NEUTRAL — Rare-earth elements are used to manufacture everything from electric or hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, electronic devices and clean energy technologies.[55][56] Despite their name, rare-earth element…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_resources

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“In recent years, as much as 90% of the rare earth minerals extracted in the United States and allied countries have been shipped to China for processing.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that China controls approximately 85-90% of global rare earth refining capacity and that the U.S. and allies rely heavily on China for processing.

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web search NEUTRAL — Written By: Madeleine Rzad Rare earth elements (REEs) are becoming increasingly prominent due to their use in clean energy, national security, and consumer electronics, along with other industries. Mu…
https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2026/01/09/market-concentrat…

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web search NEUTRAL — China, by contrast, dominates this midstream stage, controlling roughly 85-90% of global rare earth refining capacity and about 90% of the world's production of high-strength rare earth magnets. This …
https://rareearthexchanges.com/news/rare-earth-refining-bott…

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web search NEUTRAL — China's monopoly over rare earth processing spans extraction, refining, and magnet production, controlling approximately 90% of global supply chains. The U.S. previously maintained rare earth magnet p…
https://discoveryalert.com.au/rare-earth-processing-us-2025/

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“In 2024, the U.S. relied on imports for about 80% of its rare earth compounds and metals.”

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No evidence was provided for this claim.

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“The U.S. currently has two domestic rare earth mining locations.”

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No evidence was provided for this claim.

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“One is in southeast Georgia, which extracts rare earth elements as a byproduct of heavy mineral sand mining.”

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“The other is Mountain Pass, which produces bastnaesite, a rare earth carbonate mineral.”

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“The mines produced about 51,000 metric tons of rare earth mineral concentrates in 2025, while the U.S. imported about 21,000 metric tons of rare earth compounds, most of them from China, according to 2025 U.S. Geological Survey data.”

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“Mining and mineral engineering education programs now produce only a few hundred graduates per year”

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“The number of accredited programs has declined since the 1980s.”

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“In parts of China where rare earth production expanded rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s, contamination from mining and processing has polluted rivers and damaged nearby farmland”

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“Cuyahoga River fire of 1969, when industrial oil and waste on the river burned”

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“hazardous waste crises like the Love Canal disaster that led to landmark environmental laws.”

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“Canada’s critical minerals strategy... connects mining projects to battery and electric vehicle manufacturing by funding processing facilities, developing regional supply chain hubs and investing in workforce training programs”

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“Australia has combined critical minerals policies with incentives and public financing to encourage domestic mineral processing, while also expanding university and vocational training in mining, metallurgy and mineral processing.”

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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.

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The missing link in America’s critical minerals push isn’t mining – it’s processing expertise

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