Washington, Feb 3 (AP) The Trump administration plans to deploy nearly USD 12 billion to create a strategic reserve of rare earth elements, a stockpile that could counter China's ability to use its dominance of these hard to process metals as leverage in trade talks.

The White House confirmed on Monday the start of “Project Vault,” which would initially be funded by a USD 10 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank and nearly USD 1.67 billion in private capital. The minerals kept in the reserve would help to shield the manufacturers of autos, electronics and other goods from any supply chain disruptions.

During trade talks last year spurred by President Donald Trump's tariffs, the Chinese government restricted the exporting of rare earths that are needed for jet engines, radar systems, electric vehicles, laptops and phones.

China represents about 70 per cent of the world's rare earths mining and 90 per cent of global rare earths processing. That gave it a chokehold on the sector that has caused the US to nurture alternative sources of the elements, creating a stockpile similar to the national reserve for petroleum.

The strategic reserve is expected to be the highlight of a ministerial meeting on critical minerals that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host at the State Department on Wednesday.

Vice President JD Vance plans to deliver a keynote address at the meeting, which officials from several dozen European, African and Asian nations plan to attend. The meeting is also expected to include the signing of several bilateral agreements to improve and coordinate supply chain logistics.

The State Department said in its statement announcing the meeting that the gathering “will create momentum for collaboration” among the participants to secure access to rare earths.

The government-backed loan funding the reserve would be for a period of 15 years. The US government has previously taken stakes in the rare earths miner MP Materials, as well as providing financial backing to the companies Vulcan Elements and USA Rare Earth.

Bloomberg News was the first to report the creation of the rare earths strategic reserve.

Trump is scheduled on Monday to meet with General Motors CEO Mary Barra and mining industry billionaire Robert Friedland. (AP) NB NB

Strategic reserve for rare earth elements funded by a $10B Ex-Im loan plus private capital to secure supply chains. The executive branch will create a strategic reserve of rare earth elements funded by a USD 10 billion Export-Import Bank loan and about USD 1.67 billion in private capital, with the loan on a 15-year term, to shield manufacturers from supply disruptions and foreign leverage; implementation will include diplomatic coordination through a State Department ministerial meeting and bilateral supply-chain agreements.