Paul Ziemkiewicz

Built World

Leading acid mine drainage rare earth extraction research

The United States imports 80% of its rare earth elements and depends on China for virtually all processing of the materials that power electric vehicles, wind turbines, and precision-guided weapons. On January 14, 2026—one day before the Department of Energy's (DOE) $134 million Rare Earth Demonstration Facility application deadline—President Trump signed an executive order invoking Section 232 national security authorities to force trade negotiations on critical mineral imports, with a July 13 deadline for agreements or potential tariffs. Since late January, the administration has escalated with a $3.1 billion investment in USA Rare Earth and the February 2026 launch of Project Vault—a $12 billion strategic stockpile mirroring the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Updated Feb 5