Taipei will send government technical teams to the United States to conduct on-site assessments of rare earth mineral deposits, Taiwan's Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin told reporters. The mission will be carried out by the ministry's Geological Survey and Mining Management Agency and will focus on identifying which specific rare-earth elements are present and whether those deposits contain the elements Taiwan requires.
Kung stressed that the assessment is aimed at determining suitability - in other words, confirming whether U.S. deposits contain the particular rare-earth elements Taipei needs. He said the investigation remains necessary because Taiwan does not itself mine these elements and must therefore evaluate sources abroad before deciding on next steps.
The minister noted that Taiwan can contribute to the supply chain through refining rather than extraction. "The technology is not an issue; the next step is scaling up," he said, indicating the emphasis will be on enlarging refining capacity to handle material from other countries.
Taiwan currently consumes roughly 1,500 metric tonnes of rare earths each year. Kung said that figure is expected to climb to about 2,000 metric tonnes as the economy grows. He set a goal to expand production capacity so that Taiwan could supply half of its own projected demand, a move intended to strengthen the island's supply chain.
The decision to examine U.S. deposits comes as the U.S. administration has intensified efforts to secure its own supplies of critical minerals. President Donald Trump’s administration moved to bolster domestic supplies after China disrupted markets and concerned senior U.S. officials by withholding rare earths needed by American automakers and other industrial manufacturers. In addition, the administration last week announced a strategic stockpile program, Project Vault, which it said is backed by $10 billion in seed funding from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and $2 billion in private funding.
Although Taiwan - a major player in semiconductor manufacturing - is not formally part of that Project Vault scheme, officials in Taipei have previously discussed with U.S. counterparts how Taiwan might assist, given concerns about reliance on a China-centric supply chain. Kung also acknowledged the broader geopolitical context in which Taiwan seeks alternative supply arrangements, noting tensions with China, which views Taiwan as its territory and has increased military pressure.
Summary of the initiative
- Taiwan will send the Geological Survey and Mining Management Agency to the United States to inspect rare earth deposits.
- Assessments will determine which rare-earth elements are present and whether they match Taiwan's needs.
- Taiwan aims to scale up refining capacity to meet half of its projected demand as consumption rises.