委内瑞拉坐拥海量石油资源 同时还握有另一种美国亟需的东西

Core Viewpoint - The Trump administration is interested in Venezuela's rich oil reserves and other commodities, emphasizing their importance for U.S. national security, but experts warn that extracting these resources is fraught with challenges and risks [1][4]. Group 1: Key Minerals and Rare Earth Elements - The U.S. Geological Survey lists 60 minerals as "critical minerals," essential for national economy and security, including aluminum, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, and 15 rare earth elements [2][5]. - Rare earth elements are crucial for everyday technology products and military defense equipment, but their extraction and purification are complex processes [2][5]. - U.S. lawmakers are increasingly concerned about the country's heavy reliance on imports for critical minerals, with domestic projects for rare earth extraction taking years or even decades to develop [6]. Group 2: Venezuela's Mineral Resources - Venezuela is not listed among countries with rare earth resources by the U.S. Geological Survey, which includes China, the U.S., Brazil, and Greenland [3][7]. - Despite a lack of verified data on mineral reserves due to 25 years of governance by Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, experts believe Venezuela has various mineral resources, including tantalum and niobium from coltan and aluminum and gallium from bauxite [3][8]. - The "Orinoco Mining Arc" was designated for mineral exploration and extraction by the Maduro government in 2016, but illegal mining activities have plagued the region [8]. Group 3: Challenges in Mining Industry - Multiple factors, including a lack of geological data, low labor skill levels, organized crime, insufficient investment, and a volatile policy environment, severely hinder the development of Venezuela's mining industry [4][8]. - Analysts suggest that, based on current geological exploration potential, Venezuela is unlikely to achieve a significant position in the global critical minerals market for at least the next decade [4][8].