The United States is planning to boost domestic production of 35 critical minerals including uranium, cobalt and lithium, in pursuance of President Donald Trump’s America First policy.
The US said the 35 minerals are critical materials used in basic manufacturing, batteries and electronics.
The development is likely to have significant impact on Africa’s mineral export and foreign earnings.
In the full list are: Aluminum (bauxite), antimony, arsenic, barite, beryllium, bismuth, cesium, chromium, cobalt, fluorspar, gallium, germanium, graphite (natural), hafnium, helium, indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, niobium, platinum group metals, potash, rare earth elements group, rhenium, rubidium, scandium, strontium, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, and zirconium.
In trying to boost domestic production, America’s aim is to reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers, the Interior Department said on Friday.
