{
 "publisher": "Critical-Minerals.si",
 "homepage": "https://critical-minerals.si",
 "terms": "https://critical-minerals.si/data#terms",
 "attribution": "Critical-Minerals.si (https://critical-minerals.si)",
 "generated": "2026-10-09",
 "signals": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-29",
   "title": "USGS maps 1,271 US critical-mineral deposits",
   "slug": "usgs-maps-us-critical-mineral-deposits",
   "tag": "Supply",
   "minerals": [
    "copper",
    "silver",
    "uranium",
    "boron"
   ],
   "summary": "The US has more of the minerals it worries about than its import numbers suggest. The hard part is turning deposits into mines.",
   "body": "Updated database covers 59 critical minerals across 41 states and Puerto Rico; 412 deposits have documented resources but no past production. Nine of the ten highest-risk minerals occur in the US.",
   "source": "USGS",
   "source_url": "https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/usgs-updates-us-critical-mineral-deposits",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/usgs-maps-us-critical-mineral-deposits",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/usgs-maps-us-critical-mineral-deposits.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-23",
   "title": "Glencore gets $500M EXIM backing for a US minerals reserve",
   "slug": "glencore-exim-us-strategic-minerals-reserve",
   "tag": "Policy",
   "minerals": [],
   "summary": "A global trader-miner becomes a supplier to a US government-backed reserve. Expect more public-private stockpiling deals like this.",
   "body": "A $500M EXIM commitment backs VaultCo, a public-private vehicle through which Glencore will source and deliver critical minerals into a US strategic reserve.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/glencore-create-us-strategic-critical-minerals-reserve-with-exim-bank-2026-09-23/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/glencore-exim-us-strategic-minerals-reserve",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/glencore-exim-us-strategic-minerals-reserve.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-22",
   "title": "China's rare-earth exports to Japan stay at zero",
   "slug": "china-rare-earth-exports-japan-zero",
   "tag": "Export controls",
   "minerals": [
    "neodymium",
    "dysprosium",
    "terbium"
   ],
   "summary": "Beijing's rare-earth curbs are selective. Japan is getting nothing, South Korea is getting more than ever, and the US is somewhere in between.",
   "body": "August 2026 exports of controlled rare-earth compounds remained well below pre-control levels; Japan received none for a third straight month while magnet exports largely recovered.",
   "source": "Silverado Policy Accelerator",
   "source_url": "https://silverado.org/publications/rare-earth-trade-report/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-rare-earth-exports-japan-zero",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-rare-earth-exports-japan-zero.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-18",
   "title": "Gallium and germanium hit record prices outside China",
   "slug": "gallium-germanium-record-prices-outside-china",
   "tag": "Prices",
   "minerals": [
    "gallium",
    "germanium"
   ],
   "summary": "Three years into China's controls, the West still can't replace Chinese gallium and germanium — and buyers are paying close to ten times more for it.",
   "body": "Three years after China's curbs, ex-China prices sit at 9–10x 2023 levels. China supplied 98.9% of primary gallium in 2025; S&P Global sees a ~678 t ex-China gallium gap.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/world/china/niche-metals-test-wests-resilience-chinese-export-curbs-2026-09-18/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/gallium-germanium-record-prices-outside-china",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/gallium-germanium-record-prices-outside-china.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-14",
   "title": "China's grip on refining tightens outside rare earths",
   "slug": "china-refining-grip-tightens-outside-rare-earths",
   "tag": "Supply",
   "minerals": [
    "neodymium",
    "praseodymium"
   ],
   "summary": "The West is making headway on rare-earth refining. Across most other critical minerals, China's share is still climbing.",
   "body": "China's refining share (ex-rare earths) rose from 70% to 72% between 2023 and 2025, while US and Malaysian investment cut its rare-earth refining share from >90% to 85%.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-invests-critical-minerals-china-maintains-grip--reeii-2026-09-14/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-refining-grip-tightens-outside-rare-earths",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-refining-grip-tightens-outside-rare-earths.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-10",
   "title": "AI demand and tariffs send copper to a record",
   "slug": "copper-record-ai-demand-tariffs",
   "tag": "Prices",
   "minerals": [
    "copper"
   ],
   "summary": "Copper is having its moment: shrinking mine output, AI and grid demand, and tariff panic all pointing the same way.",
   "body": "New York copper futures settled at a record $6.89/lb; global mine output fell 1.1% in H1 2026 and Chile's dropped 6.6%.",
   "source": "CNN Business",
   "source_url": "https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/10/investing/copper-price-record-high",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/copper-record-ai-demand-tariffs",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/copper-record-ai-demand-tariffs.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-04",
   "title": "Study: copper is ~83% of AI data-center mineral demand",
   "slug": "ai-data-centers-copper-mineral-demand-study",
   "tag": "AI demand",
   "minerals": [
    "copper",
    "electrical_steel",
    "gallium",
    "germanium"
   ],
   "summary": "A new demand model confirms what grid engineers already suspected: AI's mineral footprint is mostly copper, and mostly outside the server hall.",
   "body": "A Resources Policy model of 20 materials through 2035 finds grid transmission drives 64% of AI-linked copper demand and flags grain-oriented electrical steel as a key constraint.",
   "source": "Rare Earth Exchanges",
   "source_url": "https://rareearthexchanges.com/news/ai-data-centers-critical-mineral-demand/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/ai-data-centers-copper-mineral-demand-study",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/ai-data-centers-copper-mineral-demand-study.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-31",
   "title": "Pentagon backs Alcoa gallium plant in Australia",
   "slug": "pentagon-backs-alcoa-gallium-plant-australia",
   "tag": "Policy",
   "minerals": [
    "gallium"
   ],
   "summary": "The US is now buying equity in foreign mineral projects. A gallium plant in Western Australia is the latest example.",
   "body": "A $174M US DoD equity investment supports a 100 t/yr gallium facility at Alcoa's Wagerup refinery with Japan's Sojitz.",
   "source": "Asia Times",
   "source_url": "https://asiatimes.com/2026/09/us-japan-race-to-secure-chip-grade-minerals-as-china-curbs-exports/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/pentagon-backs-alcoa-gallium-plant-australia",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/pentagon-backs-alcoa-gallium-plant-australia.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-08-06",
   "title": "DR Congo bans copper and cobalt concentrate exports",
   "slug": "dr-congo-bans-copper-cobalt-concentrate-exports",
   "tag": "Export controls",
   "minerals": [
    "cobalt",
    "copper"
   ],
   "summary": "The world's dominant cobalt producer is tightening control again — this time pushing more processing onshore.",
   "body": "A new order bans concentrate exports and follows the June 29 seizure of unused H1 cobalt quotas into a state strategic pool. LME copper rose as much as 1.8%.",
   "source": "Rio Times",
   "source_url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/dr-congo-cobalt-export-quotas-2026/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/dr-congo-bans-copper-cobalt-concentrate-exports",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/dr-congo-bans-copper-cobalt-concentrate-exports.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-07-16",
   "title": "IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026",
   "slug": "iea-global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026",
   "tag": "Outlook",
   "minerals": [
    "copper",
    "lithium",
    "cobalt",
    "graphite",
    "nickel"
   ],
   "summary": "The IEA's annual check-up: higher prices, tighter controls, falling investment — and a lot of exposure concentrated in very few hands.",
   "body": "Copper deficit now projected at ~25% by 2035 and a cobalt gap has emerged; tungsten prices rose about sixfold; China's expanded rare-earth controls are suspended until November 2026.",
   "source": "IEA",
   "source_url": "https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026/executive-summary",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/iea-global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/iea-global-critical-minerals-outlook-2026.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-06-22",
   "title": "China blacklists MP Materials and USA Rare Earth",
   "slug": "china-blacklists-mp-materials-usa-rare-earth",
   "tag": "Export controls",
   "minerals": [
    "neodymium",
    "praseodymium"
   ],
   "summary": "Beijing put America's rare-earth champions on its export blacklist. The practical impact is small; the signal is not.",
   "body": "Beijing banned dual-use exports to 10 US entities it linked to the military, including the only active US rare-earth miner.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-targets-us-rare-earth-other-firms-with-export-controls-2026-06-22/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-blacklists-mp-materials-usa-rare-earth",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-blacklists-mp-materials-usa-rare-earth.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-03-12",
   "title": "Qatar outage sends helium prices soaring",
   "slug": "qatar-outage-helium-prices-soar",
   "tag": "Supply",
   "minerals": [
    "helium"
   ],
   "summary": "Helium is hard to replace in chipmaking and its supply chain is fragile. One gas plant going offline was enough to send prices sharply higher.",
   "body": "Disruption to Qatar's gas processing during the Iran conflict pushed helium spot prices up by as much as double, exposing chipmakers' reliance on a few suppliers.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/helium-prices-soar-qatar-lng-halt-exposes-fragile-supply-chain-2026-03-12/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/qatar-outage-helium-prices-soar",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/qatar-outage-helium-prices-soar.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-02-02",
   "title": "US launches $12B Project Vault minerals stockpile",
   "slug": "us-launches-project-vault-minerals-stockpile",
   "tag": "Policy",
   "minerals": [
    "lithium",
    "nickel",
    "neodymium"
   ],
   "summary": "The US is building a $12 billion commercial stockpile to blunt China's leverage over mineral prices.",
   "body": "A $10B EXIM loan plus ~$2B private capital funds a commercial stockpile aiming at a 60-day emergency supply of critical minerals.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-launches-12-billion-minerals-stockpile-counter-china-bloomberg-news-2026-02-02/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/us-launches-project-vault-minerals-stockpile",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/us-launches-project-vault-minerals-stockpile.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-11-09",
   "title": "China suspends Ga/Ge/Sb export ban to the US",
   "slug": "china-suspends-gallium-germanium-antimony-export-ban-us",
   "tag": "Export controls",
   "minerals": [
    "gallium",
    "germanium",
    "antimony"
   ],
   "summary": "A pause, not a reversal. China's ban on shipping three key chip metals to the US is on hold until November 27, 2026.",
   "body": "The ban is paused until November 27, 2026, but licensing requirements remain — a key date for chip supply chains.",
   "source": "Reuters",
   "source_url": "https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-suspends-ban-exports-gallium-germanium-antimony-us-2025-11-09/",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-suspends-gallium-germanium-antimony-export-ban-us",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/china-suspends-gallium-germanium-antimony-export-ban-us.md"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-11-06",
   "title": "USGS finalizes 2025 list: 60 critical minerals",
   "slug": "usgs-final-2025-critical-minerals-list",
   "tag": "List change",
   "minerals": [
    "copper",
    "silver",
    "silicon",
    "uranium",
    "potash",
    "lead",
    "rhenium",
    "boron",
    "phosphorus",
    "met_coal"
   ],
   "summary": "Copper and silver are officially critical now. The US list grew to 60 minerals, its broadest yet.",
   "body": "Ten additions, including copper, silver, silicon and uranium, bring the US list to 60.",
   "source": "USGS",
   "source_url": "https://www.usgs.gov/news/science-snippet/interior-department-releases-final-2025-list-critical-minerals",
   "url": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/usgs-final-2025-critical-minerals-list",
   "markdown": "https://critical-minerals.si/signals/usgs-final-2025-critical-minerals-list.md"
  }
 ]
}