Highlights

• US Critical Materials Corp forms a strategic alliance with GreenMet to develop domestic gallium resources.
• The alliance challenges China's 95% import control over gallium.
• The Sheep Creek deposit in Montana offers high-grade rare earth and gallium concentrations.
• The deposit has potential applications in the defense and semiconductor industries.
• The strategic partnership aims to secure U.S. critical mineral supply chains through innovative processing and policy expertise.

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US Critical Materials Corp (opens in a new tab)., a privately held Utah-based rare earth and critical minerals developer, has formed a strategic advisory alliance with GreenMet, a Washington, D.C. firm focused on defense-linked mineral finance and policy. The partnership spotlights gallium—a mineral critical for semiconductors, defense electronics, and satellites—as a linchpin of U.S. supply chain security.

The Players

• US Critical Materials Corp. (Private): Holds the Sheep Creek deposit in Montana and mineral assets in Idaho. Independent assays confirm ore grades up to 9% total rare earths and gallium concentrations averaging ~300 ppm, far above the ~50 ppm material historically imported from China. The company has a Cooperative R&D Agreement with Idaho National Laboratory to advance lower-impact processing.
• GreenMet: Founded by Drew Horn (opens in a new tab), a former White House NSC and DoD official, GreenMet bridges private capital with U.S. mineral policy, particularly in defense supply chains.

Why It Matters

China controls over 95% of U.S. gallium imports. Recent Chinese export restrictions highlight vulnerabilities for defense and chipmakers. If commercialized, Sheep Creek could become the highest-grade U.S. gallium resource. Early discussions with an Army installation in Alabama about processing and strategic storage reinforce the national security framing.

REEx Critical Lens

The alliance is strategically important but raises key unanswered questions:

• Scale & Economics: What is the costed pathway from exploration to commercial production?
• Technology Risk: INL processes are still pilot-stage—can they scale competitively against China?
• Market Signals: Beyond Army talks, where are the binding offtakes from defense primes or chip fabs?
• Financing Path: Will GreenMet secure federal loans or Defense Production Act funding, and under what terms?

US Critical Materials Corp. is private — there is no direct equity exposure for retail investors.

Bottom Line

This alliance is strategically aligned with U.S. supply chain strategy—linking high-grade resources with policy expertise. However, without proven processing, published capital expenditure plans, and signed customer contracts, it remains a strategic option rather than an investable story.

Source: PR Newswire, “U.S. Critical Materials and GreenMet Join Forces in Strategic Alliance for Gallium and Critical Mineral Independence,” Sept. 26, 2025.

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