{"id":33982,"date":"2026-02-06T19:32:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T17:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=33982"},"modified":"2026-02-07T19:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T17:15:11","slug":"us-eu-and-japan-plan-minerals-cooperation-during-critical-minerals-ministerial-meeting-in-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/us-eu-and-japan-plan-minerals-cooperation-during-critical-minerals-ministerial-meeting-in-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"US, EU and Japan plan minerals cooperation during Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting in Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

7 minure read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States announced plans for a critical minerals partnership with the European Union and Japan during the Critical Minerals Ministerial gathering in Washington on February 4, 2026, to increase their economic and national security by jointly enhancing resilience in critical minerals supply chains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S., EU, and Japan aim to develop \u201ccoordinated trade policies and mechanisms, such as border-adjusted price floors, that can mitigate critical mineral supply chain vulnerabilities\u201d, according to the US Trade Representative\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the next 30 days, the EU and the two nations are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding to enhance the security of their critical minerals supply chains. The planned partnership will “identify areas of cooperation to stimulate demand and diversify supply for both participants by identifying and supporting projects in mining, refining, processing, and recycling”, according to the press statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 50 ministers from allied nations joined the first Critical Minerals Ministerial, hosted by the U.S. State Department in Washington on February 5, 2026, to strengthen cooperation among partners and ensure reliable access to materials essential for advanced industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The summit was attended by representatives from the United Kingdom, European Union, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development comes amid growing demand for critical minerals that are key to the production of goods such as smartphones, semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, telecommunications infrastructure, weapons systems, and other high-tech manufacturing. The global market is estimated to be valued at more than $350 billion today and is projected to grow to between $600 to 700 billion by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China currently dominates global mining and processing of many critical minerals, including rare earth elements, and has tightened export controls in recent months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While U.S. officials avoided naming China directly during opening remarks, the initiative is widely viewed as part of a broader strategy to reduce vulnerability to supply disruptions and price manipulation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"US<\/a>
The United States hosts the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. on February 4, 2026. (Image Credit: State Department Economic Affairs)<\/i><\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington is proposing the creation of a \u201cpreferential trade zone for critical minerals\u201d among participating countries. The framework would establish reference prices and use adjustable tariffs to prevent market flooding that can drive prices down and discourage investment in new mining and processing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all face the same vulnerability: access to the things that protect our people and sustain our way of life,\u201d Vance said, noting that supply chains for key materials can \u201cvanish in the blink of an eye\u201d due to market distortions or geopolitical pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He argued that volatile prices have repeatedly derailed mining projects across advanced and developing economies alike, as sudden surges of foreign supply collapse prices and cause investors to withdraw financing. The proposed trade zone would aim to stabilize prices, encourage long-term investment, and create what he described as an \u201cironclad network\u201d of diversified supply chains among partner countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. also plans to deploy tariffs where necessary to maintain price floors and ensure predictable investment conditions within the bloc. Officials said membership would offer participating nations more secure access to critical minerals during emergencies while encouraging new production across allied markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Large-scale investment and stockpiling plans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative comes alongside a sweeping push by the Trump administration to rebuild domestic and allied mining capacity. According to senior officials, Washington intends to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars in public and private capital for mining and processing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Copley, a special assistant to the president and senior director for global supply chains, said the U.S. government is prepared to deploy \u201chundreds of billions of capital into the mining sector to get projects going,\u201d including equity investments and financing for companies such as MP Materials and Lithium Americas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced the creation of a nearly $12 billion domestic stockpile known as \u201cProject Vault,\u201d designed to secure reserves of critical minerals for national security and industrial needs. The administration has also provided up to $100 billion in lending authority for critical minerals projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, @SecRubio<\/a> hosted the Critical Minerals Ministerial, uniting partners from around the world to sign new frameworks and launch the new Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE) Initiative.

This landmark partnership is a major step toward diversifying and\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/38ePI2XLMe<\/a><\/p>\u2014 State Department Economic Affairs (@EconAtState) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>