Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-02-02 14:21Core Viewpoint - Rare earth stocks experienced a significant pre-market surge, driven by the announcement of a $12 billion strategic critical minerals reserve plan by the U.S. government aimed at bolstering industrial security and protecting manufacturers from supply chain disruptions [1] Group 1: Stock Movements - Critical Metals (CRML.US) rose over 8% in pre-market trading [1] - NioCorp Developments (NB.US) increased by more than 6% [1] - United States Antimony (UAMY.US) saw a rise of over 5% [1] - TMC the metals (TMC.US) and USA Rare Earth (USAR.US) both increased by more than 4% [1] - MP Materials (MP.US) gained over 3% [1] Group 2: Government Initiative - The initiative, named "Project Vault," will utilize $10 billion in loans from the Export-Import Bank of the United States, along with $1.67 billion in private capital [1] - The plan aims to procure and store minerals for automotive manufacturers, technology companies, and other industrial giants [1] - This will be the first private sector reserve project of its kind in the U.S., setting a record in scale and operating similarly to the national strategic petroleum reserve [1]