At a packed Oval Office ceremony in February, President Donald Trump unveiled a plan to build one of the largest strategic stockpiles of critical minerals in history. Dubbed Project Vault, it would hoard dozens of elements—backed by $12 billion in public and private funding—to “ensure that American businesses and workers are never harmed by any shortage,” Trump said. General Motors Co. Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra and Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., looked on as he signed off on the effort.
Illustration: Antoine Cossé for Bloomberg Businessweek
From ancient grain reserves to Cold War fuel depots, stockpiles have traditionally been the ...
