China’s Rare Earth Export Blocks Push US Miners to Nevada Lithium and Boron

On September 10, China reportedly blocked some rare earth shipments to the United States. USA Rare Earth (USAR) initially rose 4% before shedding gains, while MP Materials (MP) dropped 5%. This action immediately exposed the fragility of critical mineral supply lines and intensified the domestic scramble for these essential materials. The incident underscores a long-standing strategic vulnerability: America's reliance on foreign sources for the fundamental components of its advanced manufacturing and energy transition goals.

The Mechanism of Supply Chain Leverage

The core issue is processing, not just mining. Rare earth elements, lithium, and boron are all raw materials. Extracting them from the ground is only the first step. For rare earths, the real bottleneck sits in separation. Mined ore contains a mix of rare earth oxides. These elements behave similarly chemically, making their individual isolation a complex, energy-intensive process. Companies need specialized solvent extraction plants, which require significant capital investment and technical expertise. China built this capacity over decades. For lithium, the challenge is conversion from ore or brine into battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide. This involves chemical purification and refinement, a different but equally complex industrial process. Boron, crucial for high-strength alloys and magnets, also requires specific refining to produce high-purity compounds. Without domestic processing facilities, even abundant raw material deposits in the US remain effectively locked away, leaving the country dependent on the few nations with the industrial infrastructure to convert rock into usable material.

Companies Working in This Part of the Sector

The push for domestic supply has invigorated projects across the US. In Nevada, companies are advancing various lithium and boron plays. ioneer Ltd (IONR) is developing its Rhyolite Ridge project, a lithium-boron deposit in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The project aims to produce both lithium carbonate and boric acid, leveraging the co-occurrence of these minerals. Standard Lithium Ltd. (SLI) focuses on lithium extraction from brine resources, particularly in Arkansas, but also explores expansion. SLI recently announced a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for its Franklin Project in East Texas, targeting up to 70,000 tonnes of annual lithium carbonate output. They also signed a 10-year offtake deal with LG Energy Solution on August 31 for lithium carbonate. American Battery Technology Company (ABAT) is another player in Nevada, with the Bureau of Land Management accepting its Plan of Operations for the Tonopah Flats Lithium Project on September 8. ABAT also hosted DOE leadership to showcase its commercial technologies for strengthening US critical minerals supply chains. Beyond Nevada, Atlas Lithium Corporation (ATLX) is advancing its Neves Project in Brazil, materially de-risking it by contracting 71% of its direct capital budget. NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB) is developing a niobium, scandium, and titanium project in Nebraska, with rare earth elements as a potential byproduct. Critical Metals Corp. (CRML) is working on its acquisition of European Lithium, which holds the Wolfsberg lithium project in Austria. USA Rare Earth (USAR) is focused on its Round Top heavy rare earth and critical minerals project in Texas, which aims to provide a domestic source for these materials.

American Lithium Minerals, Inc.

American Lithium Minerals, Inc. (AMLM) is an exploration stage company, pre-revenue, focused on lithium and boron properties in Nevada. The company trades over the counter. Its primary asset is the Sarcobatus Lithium property, comprising 1,780 acres of mining claims in Central Nevada. AMLM’s stated plan involves exploring and acquiring mineral properties globally, alongside developing Real World Asset Tokens to secure capital for mining operations. The company’s most recent substantive filing, a Regulation A offering circular qualified on February 4, 2026, outlined an offering of up to 80,000,000 units, with an additional 120,000,000 shares issuable if attached warrants are fully exercised. Each unit includes one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase 1.5 shares of common stock, exercisable at $0.05 per share until December 31, 2028. The public record does not yet establish a definitive resource estimate for the Sarcobatus Lithium property. Since its incorporation in Nevada in 2005, AMLM has acquired and explored mineral rights, also holding and divesting cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth element prospects in Arizona and Illinois. The company's activities since 2009 have centered on lithium exploration in Central Nevada.

What to watch

Investors should monitor several concrete developments. For Standard Lithium (SLI), watch for further updates on the Franklin Project’s permitting and financing following the positive Preliminary Economic Assessment. Any additional offtake agreements, similar to the LG Energy Solution deal, would also be significant. For American Battery Technology Company (ABAT), the progress at its Tonopah Flats Lithium Project in Nevada, particularly any updates on drilling results or resource definition, will be key. Keep an eye on ioneer Ltd (IONR) for news regarding its Rhyolite Ridge project, specifically permitting milestones and progress on securing funding or strategic partnerships for its integrated lithium-boron operation. For Critical Metals Corp. (CRML), the completion of its proposed acquisition of European Lithium, including the September court date for the merger deal, is a near-term event. Finally, watch for any further official statements or policy shifts from the US or Chinese governments regarding critical mineral exports, which could directly impact companies like USA Rare Earth (USAR) and MP Materials (MP)., { "label": "Transport Raw Material", "note": "Move ore to processing facilities" }, { "label": "Separate & Refine", "note": "Chemically isolate and purify target minerals", "metric": "High CAPEX & Expertise" }, { "label": "Produce Compounds", "note": "Convert purified minerals into battery-grade or industrial compounds" }, { "label": "Supply Chain Integration", "note": "Deliver finished critical minerals to manufacturers" } ], "highlight": 2, "highlight_note": "Specialized plants and technical skill are scarce outside China.", "footnote": "Source: PubCo Insight analysis of recent news and filings." }