US Rare Earth Strategy Faces Delays Amid Permitting Challenges

May 6, 2026

92 min

May 6, 2026 23:30

Rare-earth push stalls: US permitting delays undercut bid to curb China’s grip on critical minerals

## US Rare Earth Strategy Faces Delays

The United States' efforts to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals are being hampered by lengthy permitting processes. On average, it takes 29 years to bring a new mine online in the US, one of the longest durations globally. This delay is a significant obstacle in the race to secure essential minerals used in defense, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies.

## Dependence on Imports

A 2025 US Geological Survey report highlights the country's heavy dependence on imported critical minerals, posing economic and security risks. The report warns that concentrated foreign supply chains, particularly from China, could lead to "supply shocks" affecting the US economy.

## Industry Challenges

Complex federal and state regulations, including environmental reviews, slow down the domestic production of high-quality magnets. This regulatory burden threatens the US's strategic industrial advantage. Harvey Kaye, Executive Chairman of US Critical Materials, suggests that faster permitting, public-private funding, and long-term purchase commitments could accelerate the process.

## China's Dominance

China currently dominates the refining of rare earth elements, giving it significant control over global supply. This control could be used as a geopolitical tool, with potential export restrictions impacting prices and availability of these critical materials.

## Vulnerable Supply Chains

Analyses from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Atlantic Council emphasize the vulnerability of US supply chains due to geopolitical concentration and limited domestic capacity. The studies suggest that the US is not well-prepared for major disruptions, whether political or environmental, and that developing new mines and processing facilities will take years.

## Future Prospects

Efforts to establish a more independent supply chain involve mining in allied countries and building new processing plants. However, these initiatives face challenges, including high costs and long lead times, making the US's path to reducing dependence on China complex and uncertain.

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