U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has released a statement praising U.S. President Donald Trump for securing a deal that will see a critical minerals processing facility built in the United States. According to the X post, Korea Zinc will build the facility in Tennessee, which will have an annual output capacity of 540,000 tons of various materials, including gallium, germanium, indium, and other resources that are crucial for Washington’s push to bring back semiconductor manufacturing within its borders.
The U.S. is mostly dependent on China for its rare earth materials, especially as the East Asian nation supplies the majority of both raw and processed resources across the globe. However, the rivalry between the two powers has highlighted the United States’ vulnerability to decisions made in Beijing, especially as its export controls in retaliation to Trump’s tariffs have impacted the semiconductor industry. While China has eased some of its restrictions and have started issuing export licenses, the White House knows that it remains at the mercy of its rival.
