Highlights

• The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is expanding its strategic role in securing critical minerals access through:
  • Early-stage capital
  • Project development
  • Commercial partnerships
  • Spanning the entire mining lifecycle from exploration to infrastructure
• USTDA announced three major initiatives:
  • Five global critical minerals convenings
  • A copper-cobalt feasibility study in Zambia targeting 25,000 metric tons annually
  • New scoping missions pairing U.S. companies with emerging market opportunities
• Unlike subsidy-focused programs, USTDA:
  • Positions U.S. firms at the front end of global mineral development
  • Funds feasibility studies and validates project economics
  • Creates commercially viable alternatives to China-centric supply chains

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As Washington sharpens its focus on supply-chain resilience, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (opens in a new tab) is expanding its role as one of the federal government’s most practical—and often underappreciated—tools for securing access to critical minerals and rare earth elements.

At theinaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial hosted by the U.S. Department of State, senior U.S. officials delivered a clear message: rebuilding secure mineral supply chains will require more than policy declarations. It will demand early-stage capital, credible project development, and trusted commercial partnerships. This is precisely where USTDA operates.

Secretary Marco Rubio (opens in a new tab), delivering opening remarks in Washington, D.C., framed critical minerals as a foundational pillar of U.S. economic security and national defense—setting the stage for USTDA’s latest programming commitments.

“USTDA’s approach to critical minerals offers our partners a responsible alternative for developing their natural resources while reducing China’s stranglehold on essential supply chains,” said Thomas R. Hardy (opens in a new tab), USTDA’s Deputy Director.

Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director

From Geology to Infrastructure: A Full-Cycle Strategy

Unlikeagencies focused narrowly on extraction, USTDA’s critical minerals strategy spans the entire mining life cycle—from exploration and processing to the often-overlooked infrastructure required to bring projects to market, including power generation, rail, and port facilities.

This lifecycle approach reflects a hard-earned reality confronting the United States and its allies: minerals without logistics are stranded assets. By addressing upstream technical work alongside enabling infrastructure, USTDA positions projects for commercial viability rather than perpetual feasibility.

Three Concrete Moves That Matter

1. Global Critical Minerals Events

USTDA will host five international convenings to promote secure, transparent, and diversified critical minerals supply chains. These events will connect U.S. mining companies, technology providers, engineering firms, and infrastructure developers with vetted projects in emerging markets—positioning U.S. firms early, before financing and procurement decisions are locked in.

2. Zambia Copper & Cobalt Feasibility Study

In partnership with Metalex Africa Zambia Limited, USTDA has issued a Request for Proposals for a U.S. company to lead a feasibility study at the Kazozu copper and cobalt project. The study will evaluate expansion potential of up to 25,000 metric tons annually, targeting metals critical to electronics, energy systems, and defense applications. (RFP closes February 17, 2026.)

3. Critical Minerals Scoping Missions

USTDA will fund new scoping missions that pair U.S. companies with high-impact opportunities across emerging markets—helping identify, structure, and de-risk projects spanning exploration, extraction, processing, and supporting infrastructure.

Why This Matters for Investors and Industry

USTDA does not mine, refine, or manufacture. Its influence lies upstream—funding feasibility studies, validating project economics, and shaping bankable pipelines that can later attract private capital, development finance institutions, and strategic offtakers.

In an era defined by efforts to diversify away from China-centric supply chains, USTDA’s model stands out for its emphasis on early intervention with commercial discipline, rather than broad-based subsidies or post hoc bailouts.

Bottom Line

While larger initiatives such as CHIPS and Project Vault capture headlines, USTDA is doing the quieter work of converting policy intent into investable projects. By positioning U.S. firms at the front end of global critical minerals development, the agency is helping ensure that future supply chains are not only secure—but commercially grounded.

For investors tracking the evolution of America’s critical minerals strategy, USTDA’s expanding footprint is a signal worth watching.