Donald Trump, the US President, was actually asked about the trade war and whether or not the US was in fact in one. Here's how he actually framed and phrased that specific answer. Are we in for a sustained trade war with China.Well, we're in one now. Look, we have a 100% tariff. If we didn't have tariffs, we would be exposed as being a nothing. We would have no defense.President Trump spoke after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent floated a longer pause on high US levies targeting China to resolve a conflict ...

Core Insights - The U.S. government is acquiring a 5% equity stake in Lithium Americas, which is developing a significant lithium mine in northern Nevada, known as the Thacker Pass project [2][3][4] - The Thacker Pass project aims to reduce U.S. reliance on China for lithium, a critical component for high-tech batteries used in electric vehicles and renewable energy [3][4] - The project is expected to produce 40,000 metric tons of battery-quality lithium carbonate annually, sufficient to power 800,000 electric vehicles [4][9] Government Involvement - The Department of Energy's investment is part of a broader strategy to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign adversaries for critical minerals [4][9] - The U.S. government has previously engaged in similar investments, including a 10% stake in Intel and a $400 million investment in MP Materials [5][6] Financial Aspects - Lithium Americas has reached a non-binding agreement with the DOE for an initial draw of $435 million on a federal loan, with $182 million of debt service deferred over the first five years [6][7] - General Motors has committed over $900 million to support the development of the Thacker Pass project, which has the capacity to produce enough lithium for 1 million electric vehicles annually [7][9] Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the government stake, shares of Lithium Americas surged by more than 30% [9]

Geopolitics and Resource Competition - Great powers are competing for access to Africa's critical minerals [1] - Singapore is targeting carbon credits in Africa, differing from the focus on critical minerals [1] Carbon Market - Singapore aims to become a trading hub for carbon credits [1]

The gap between palladium and silver prices in the US and international benchmarks is too slim, given the risk of tariffs on critical minerals, Citigroup analysts said https://t.co/AiQFRBmE6b ...

Supply Chain Vulnerability & Geopolitical Risks - The industry acknowledges the fragility of global supply chains, particularly concerning reliance on China and Russia [2][3][4] - China's use of export controls on critical minerals like rare earths, gallium, and antimony poses a coercive threat to the United States [3] - Russia's actions regarding uranium stocks also present a potential risk to the US [3] Reshoring & Domestic Manufacturing - Major drug manufacturers have announced multi-billion dollar investments to build manufacturing facilities in the US [5] - The administration supports incentivizing domestic manufacturing through measures like tax incentives [5] - An executive order aims to establish price floors through long-term demand contracts, similar to the strategy used with rare earths, to protect domestic producers from unfair dumping by foreign countries [7] Tariffs & Trade Policy - Concerns exist that tariffs may raise costs for drug manufacturers and hinder their ability to profitably establish domestic production [6] - The executive order seeks to counter the practice of foreign countries, particularly China and India, dumping capacity product into US markets [7] Government Intervention & Emergency Response - The government demonstrated the ability to rapidly establish domestic production capabilities during the pandemic, such as ventilator factories in 14 days [9] - The administration emphasizes the importance of protecting American manufacturers [9]

Industry Focus - Africa should concentrate on boosting the supply of critical minerals for the global energy transition [1] Strategic Direction - AFC president suggests Africa's role in cleaner energy should be as a supplier of critical minerals [1]

Geopolitics & Resource Security - Donald Trump hopes peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo will bolster US supplies of critical minerals [1] Challenges & Obstacles - Obstacles may check momentum in securing US supplies of critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo [1]

Tariff Impact & Market Dynamics - A 50% tariff on copper is designed to encourage domestic investment, exceeding industry expectations [1] - The industry anticipates a rush to import copper into the US before the August 1st deadline to avoid tariffs, potentially rerouting shipments to destinations like Hawaii or Puerto Rico [2] - Traders aim to profit from selling copper at higher US prices after the tariffs are imposed [2] US Copper Industry & Policy - The US government prioritizes copper as a critical mineral for emerging technologies [4] - Copper is valuable in lithium-ion batteries, data centers, and military applications [5] - The aim is for American companies to supply copper to high-tech industries, encouraging domestic capacity building [5][6] - The US is heavily reliant on copper imports, unlike steel or aluminum, making it challenging to quickly build domestic factories [6] - Concerns exist that the tariff will hurt American consumers and manufacturers in the short term due to import reliance [6]

Trump administration officials seeking deals for critical minerals in Africa are in for a surprise https://t.co/5aL150ktLA ...

Supply agreements for critical minerals will dominate Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ghana, Namibia, Brazil, Argentina and Trinidad & Tobago starting Wednesday https://t.co/4KSmJKVGmR ...