Rio Tinto(US:RIO) Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-10-13 08:58Core Insights - The U.S. Department of Defense is seeking to procure critical minerals worth up to $1 billion as part of a global inventory reserve plan to address challenges in the supply chain of key metals [1][2] - The procurement plan includes significant purchases of cobalt, antimony, tantalum, and scandium, highlighting the strategic importance of these minerals for defense systems [1][2] Group 1: Procurement Details - The Department of Defense plans to purchase up to $500 million worth of cobalt, $245 million worth of antimony from U.S. Antimony Corporation, $100 million worth of tantalum from an undisclosed U.S. company, and $45 million worth of scandium from Rio Tinto and APL Engineering Materials [1][2] - The procurement targets exceed conventional market sizes, with the requested quantities often surpassing U.S. annual production and import levels [2][3] Group 2: Strategic Importance - These critical minerals are essential for nearly all weapon systems and technologies such as radar and missile detection systems, indicating their priority status for the Department of Defense [1][2] - The Department of Defense's inventory, valued at $1.3 billion as of 2023, includes dozens of alloys, metals, rare earths, ores, and precious metals stored in warehouses across the country [2] Group 3: Market Reactions - Market analysts expressed surprise at the scale of the procurement requests, with some considering the quantities unrealistic within the proposed five-year timeframe [2][3] - The Department of Defense's focus on securing these minerals reflects a growing awareness of their criticality and the need to support domestic production capabilities [4]