Part 3/11:
Behind the diplomatic rhetoric, the U.S. government has been quietly stockpiling strategic minerals such as cobalt, antimony, and tungsten. The Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) revealed plans to acquire up to $1 billion worth of these critical materials, emphasizing the strategic importance of diversifying supply sources amid Chinese dominance. This initiative is part of a broader U.S. effort, aligned with the Trump-era $7.5 billion "America First" legislation, to bolster domestic supply chains and reduce dependency on Chinese-produced critical minerals.