The day the executive order was signed was misrepresented in a past iteration of this account. You signed on Thursday.
Late Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order purportedly “dramatically increasing” U.S. production of rare-earth elements and key minerals. Furthermore mentioned by him is an imminent rare-earths transaction with Ukraine.
The language of this most recent Trump executive order is, “imperative” for U.S. national security that the nation take “immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.”
Range of technology including cellphones, LED lights and electric-vehicle motors makes use of rare-earth elements. Most rare-earth reserves in the world are held by China.
The executive action seems to signal the Trump administration’s next phase of leveraging natural riches. Earlier this month, Trump promised in his speech to a joint session of Congress to increase American rare-earth element and critical mineral output.
Related: Zelensky says Ukraine remains “ready” for minerals agreement with U.S. following Oval Office blow-up with Trump.
Many equities jumped on word of the executive action. Rising 15.6%, NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB), which is building a critical-minerals project in southeast Nebraska, closed the session with a 12.8% gain, hitting their highest since Jan. 27, 2025. Premarket activity saw Texas-based rare-earths specialist MP Materials Corp.’s stock (MP) rise; session adjourned 1.3%.
Rare-earth elements, or REEs, are defined as some seventeen distinct elements. Estimates published by Statista indicate that there are roughly 90 million metric tons of rare earths left globally overall. Although the United States also has notable reserves, estimated at 1.9 million metric tons, China boasts an estimated 44 million metric tons. Statista Rare-earths mining is a challenging industry, though. For instance, Colorado-based mining company Molycorp Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015 among declining rare-earth element prices.
Because of its laws, the United States has been identified as a “high-cost jurisdiction” for rare-earths mining. Approaching this problem, the new executive order slammed “overbearing Federal regulation” for reducing U.S. mineral production.
“It is imperative for our national security that the United States take instantaneous action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent,” it stated.
As he works to negotiate peace in Ukraine’s battle with Russia, Trump also gave an update on his government’s attempts to exploit its natural riches.
“It’s a big thing in this country, and, as you know, we’re also signing agreements in diverse locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular Ukraine,” he said. “We’re doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia, and one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths Ukraine..”
Related: New wrinkle in Trump’s proposal to exploit mineral riches is helping these stocks.
Trump remarked, “We regard their great worth in rare earth. As you know, we spoke yesterday with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky; we would love to see [conflict] come to an end, and I believe we are doing fairly well in that area. Thus, presumably, thousands of individuals a week could be spared death.
Following an ugly White House meeting where Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance argued with Zelensky last month, the two presidents engaged in a war of words. Zelensky then remarked Ukraine stayed “ready” for the mineral deal.
