Group 1 - The Metals Company experienced a significant stock increase of 489.3% in the first half of 2025, following a 19.1% gain in 2024 [1] - The new administration under President Trump is focused on securing the supply of critical minerals, which has positively influenced investor sentiment towards The Metals Company [3] - The company is engaged in collecting seabed nodules to produce critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, manganese, and nickel [4] Group 2 - An executive order issued by President Trump in April emphasized the importance of seabed mineral resources, leading to a 45% increase in The Metals Company's stock on the day of the announcement [5] - In June, The Metals Company announced an equity investment of $85.2 million from Korea Zinc, further boosting investor confidence [6] - The company remains in the pre-revenue phase, and potential investors are advised to consider their risk tolerance before investing [8]

US-China Relations & Trade Policy - The US under the Trump administration lacked a clear China strategy, with internal divisions on how to approach the relationship [1][2] - Treasury Secretary's engagement with the Chinese Vice Premier appears to be stabilizing the relationship in the short term [3] - Both US and Chinese leaders recognize their economic interdependence, despite discomfort, making decoupling challenging [4][5] - A truce exists with a desire to maintain stability in the bilateral relationship [5] Rare Earths & Supply Chain - Diversifying rare earths and other supply chains is proving difficult and may take a generation [6] - The US remains reliant on China for materials like magnets [7] - While China has leverage in certain areas, the US can also significantly impact the Chinese economy; both countries are vulnerable and interdependent [7] Economic Impact & Global Implications - Escalation between the US and China would harm both economies and spread to Southeast Asia and the global economy [8]

Tax & Spending Bill & Debt Ceiling - Republicans aim to pass President Trump's tax and spending bill by July 4th, facing challenges in the House and Senate [1] - The debt ceiling will drive the timing of the bill's completion, as it forces action [3] - The framework of the bill will likely remain the same due to reconciliation rules, limiting potential changes [8] Political Dynamics & Negotiation - President Trump's influence is crucial in aligning Republican votes in both the House and Senate [4] - Some Republican senators are outspoken against the bill, seeking leverage to tweak it [5][6] - Speaker Johnson needs to manage Senate changes to ensure the bill's passage in the House [6][7] Deficit & Long-Term Concerns - The speaker is concerned about the deficit, but the real drivers are Social Security and Medicare [10][11] - Bipartisanship is needed to address the long-term drivers of the debt, but public education is lacking [12] - The current bill includes populist giveaways, such as no taxes on tips, which may not significantly impact most servers [15][16] China & Critical Minerals - China has leverage over the US due to dependence on critical minerals [25] - The US needs to speed up the process of developing new mines to reduce China's leverage [26] - China controls 90% of critical minerals and 95% of the processing, posing a national security concern [27]

Group 1: Executive Orders and Industry Support - The CEO of Ramaco Resources, Randall Atkins, will discuss President Trump's recent executive orders that support the U.S. coal industry, emphasizing its importance to national security [2] - The executive orders direct the Department of Energy to promote new technological uses of coal and consider classifying metallurgical coal as a critical mineral [2] - The National Coal Council has been re-established by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, which had its charter terminated under the previous administration [2] Group 2: Brook Mine Development - Ramaco Resources is developing the Brook Mine in Wyoming, which is the first new critical mineral and rare earth element mine in the U.S. in over 50 years [4] - The Brook Mine is recognized as the largest unconventional deposit of rare earth elements in the United States, containing critical minerals essential for technology and defense [4] - The mine has been highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article, which estimates its potential value at $37 billion [5] Group 3: Company Overview - Ramaco Resources operates and develops high-quality, low-cost metallurgical coal in southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia, and is also a developing producer of coal and critical minerals in Wyoming [6] - The company has four active metallurgical coal mining complexes in Central Appalachia and is in the initial stages of production for a coal mine and rare earth development near Sheridan, Wyoming [6] - In 2023, a significant deposit of primary magnetic rare earths and critical minerals was discovered at the Wyoming mine, alongside a carbon research and pilot facility [6]