Dwindling U.S. Stockpiles of Minerals for Military Use Should Be a Cause for Concern

By Jim Constantopoulos – Real Clear Energy

It seems implausible that now, with China dominating global mineral production and the U.S. vulnerable to a cutoff of imported minerals, the U.S. has allowed its military stockpile of critical raw materials for national defense to dwindle.

The Defense Department has said that if strained relations with the world’s mineral superpower China turns into a military conflict, the U.S. would have shortfalls in 69 minerals, most of them used in weapons production.

Moreover, in the event of a mineral shortage, the U.S. could not depend on its closest allies for critical raw materials. NATO has limited mineral production. The European Union imports between 75% and 100% of most metals it consumes, and neither the EU nor its member countries have stockpiles. Nor do Canada or Great Britain have mineral stockpiles.