Texas Rare-Earth Project Aims to Break China's Monopoly

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Texas is making a bold move to challenge China's dominance in rare-earth mineral production with the Round Top project, a massive rare-earth deposit in West Texas. The project promises to reduce US reliance on Chinese supplies of these critical minerals, which are essential for modern technology and green energy. However, rebuilding the US rare-earth supply chain will require significant investment and overcoming infrastructure challenges.

Why it matters

Rare-earth minerals are the backbone of countless technologies, from smartphones to fighter jets. Yet the US has long outsourced its supply to China, which controls 80% of global production. This dependency is seen as a national security risk, as China has previously threatened to cut off exports during trade disputes. The Round Top project aims to break China's monopoly and secure a domestic source of these critical materials.

The details

The Round Top site in West Texas is one of the richest deposits of heavy rare-earth minerals in North America. Heavy rare-earths are the most critical and difficult to extract. The project promises to funnel billions in revenue into Texas public schools, an unusual benefit for a resource extraction operation. However, the US lacks the specialized processing facilities needed to fully capitalize on the minerals, requiring significant new investment in infrastructure.

• The Round Top project was announced in 2026.
• The Trump administration provided $12 billion in seed funding for critical minerals in the US in the early 2020s.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Round Top project still faces significant infrastructure and investment challenges to fully capitalize on the rare-earth deposit and reduce US reliance on Chinese supplies.