Here’s a stark truth: China could bring America’s military might to its knees — without firing a single shot. Its secret weapon isn’t a missile or cyberattack, but a grip on the world’s rare earth minerals. These obscure elements are the lifeblood of modern warfare, powering everything from fighter jets and submarines to precision missiles and surveillance drones.
If Beijing decided to shut off the supply tomorrow, Western stockpiles could run dry within weeks. Restarting production or rebuilding supply chains wouldn’t just be slow — it would be a strategic nightmare.
Now, the standoff is heating up. China is tightening export controls on key minerals, while former U.S. President Donald Trump has fired back with 100% tariffs on Chinese goods. What began as a trade dispute is rapidly turning into an all-out struggle for control over the materials that fuel global defense and technology.
Samuel Olsen of Sibylline and Neha Mukherjee from Benchmark Minerals dig into this high-stakes showdown — the silent war beneath the surface. It’s not just about minerals, but about power, leverage, and who will command the resources that define the future of warfare and innovation.
