How 2026 will reshape the US critical mineral resilience

Heading into year two of the current US administration, the federal government is poised to sharpen its focus on critical minerals as policy, investment, and security priorities converge.

Policy momentum, new public-private funding tools, and growing concerns over critical mineral dependencies are prompting Washington to think beyond rare earths and toward broader vulnerabilities in the supply chain. That shift is creating new priorities and new opportunities across extraction, processing, and manufacturing.

A look at emerging federal activity reveals two themes rising to the surface — widening support for high-risk minerals and renewed attention to the technologies that power domestic processing.

Critical minerals investment will expand beyond rare earths 

In 2026, federal investment will likely expand beyond rare earth elements to include other high-risk minerals like antimony and tungsten. These materials have so far not attracted the same attention as rare earths, yet they represent some of the US’s most vulnerable supply chains, with the country dependent on China, Tajikistan and Russia for the majority of its antimony sourcing.

That level of dependence is untenable for sectors tied to defense, energy, semiconductors and industrial manufacturing where antimony is used in alloys, munitions, and flame-retardant applications.

As with rare earths, the investment focus will shift toward processing capacity for these minerals, since extraction alone does not create supply chain security.

Federal attention will focus on processing technologies that break from century-old methods like traditional smelting and refining and can sustain production over the long term. The emphasis will sit on approaches with emissions profiles acceptable to nearby communities and cost structures that hold up in a globally competitive market. 

Metals processing will emerge as a major white space for industrial innovation 

A changing energy and manufacturing landscape is exposing just how outdated U.S. metals processing has become. Aluminum, copper, magnesium and titanium processing still rely on methods that have barely changed in decades, despite enormous electricity requirements.

With growing competition for power from AI and data centres, the cost of electricity will become a defining pressure point for heavy industry in 2026.

This shift will create white space for companies that can minimize the cost of production inputs, including electricity, reduce harmful by-products, and lower total production costs.

Innovation in metals processing will attract interest from federal programs looking for ways to strengthen domestic manufacturing against global competitors.

What these shifts mean for US miners and manufacturers

Strengthening domestic mineral capabilities has become a clear priority for the current Presidentia ladministration, with the goal of positioning the US as a global leader in efficient, sustainable, and modern mining practices.

As priorities expand beyond rare earths, advances in processing and industrial efficiency will reshape how the US strengthens its critical mineral independence and reduces reliance on overseas supply.

Companies that can demonstrate more reliable and cost-effective processing technologies will be well-positioned for the next wave of federal funding as these shifts take shape in 2026.

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About the author: Joel Fetter is managing director at Clark Street Associates, an advisory firm specializing in securing government funding and strategic partnerships for hard tech companies.