President Donald Trump is expected to attend a roundtable on Friday with top mining executives hosted by the U.S. State Department, according to two people familiar with the planning. The event is part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to expand domestic and allied supplies of critical minerals needed for energy, defense and advanced technologies. The agenda, participants and other details remain fluid and could change, according to the sources. The administration has made securing critical minerals supply chains a priority, taking steps to boost domestic production and processing, reduce reliance on China and strengthen partnerships with allies.
It has argued that expanding the sector will require not only investment in mines and processing facilities but also a larger pipeline of skilled workers, including engineers, geologists, miners and technicians, as companies face a shortage of talent needed to support future projects.
