Feb 9, 2026 NTD
A new vector of global power dynamics, buried deep within Earth’s crust. Rare earth metals and critical minerals have been dominating headlines, with stocks rising and falling at the news. President Trump launching a $12B critical minerals stockpile called “Project Vault,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosting delegations from 50 nations at the first Critical Minerals Ministerial at the White House — calling for a trade bloc to counter China’s dominance in the sector.
How did China corner the minerals market? What makes a mineral critical? How do these metals fit into our daily lives and even our military? And what does all this mean for the geopolitical landscape going forward?
In this China in Focus Special, we sat down with Tomasz Nadrowski. He’s a Portfolio Manager at Amvest Terraden Critical Minerals Fund, and Author of ‘Mineral War: China’s Quest for Weapons of Mineral Destruction.’