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Charted: America’s Reliance on Foreign Minerals
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Key Takeaways
- The U.S. was 100% import reliant for 11 mineral commodities in 2024, including graphite, manganese, and fluorspar.
- China remains the dominant supplier for many critical minerals, particularly rare earth elements.
America’s economy is heavily reliant on imported minerals, many of which are critical for technology, energy, and defense. The latest data from the U.S. Geological Survey highlights the extent of this dependence.
Top Mineral Import Dependencies
In 2024, the United States was 100% import reliant for 11 key mineral commodities. These include essential industrial inputs like natural graphite, manganese, fluorspar, and arsenic. These materials are vital in steelmaking, battery production, and chemical manufacturing.
China remains the leading supplier for many of these resources, particularly rare earth elements, for which the U.S. remains highly dependent.
Currently, 80% of America’s rare earth element imports come from China. The Asian country mines about 70% of the world’s rare earths and has a virtual monopoly on refining and processing.
Many of these elements are essential in military applications, electric motors, and next-gen electronics. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Tesla, and Apple rely on these materials in their core products.
Amid the recent trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, China imposed export restrictions on rare earth magnets and related materials in April. The measure has already led major automakers—including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford—to flag production challenges due to supply shortages.
Besides rare earth elements, the list includes other critical materials for U.S. manufacturing:
- Graphite (100% import reliant) — key for lithium-ion battery anodes.
- Manganese (100%) — used in steel and battery alloys.
- Fluorspar (100%) — essential in aluminum production and hydrofluoric acid manufacturing.
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