The United States is actively pursuing partnerships to secure critical mineral supplies as it seeks to reduce its heavy dependence on China for rare earth elements essential to technology and defense applications.

According to reports, the U.S. is pushing for a critical minerals agreement with Brazil, though the South American nation has shown reluctance to embrace such arrangements. The initiative reflects broader American efforts to diversify supply chains for materials crucial to semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, and military equipment.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Commerce Department is facing congressional scrutiny over a $1.6 billion deal with USA Rare Earth, a domestic mining company. A House Democrat has characterized the agreement as "highly concerning," though specific details of the criticism were not immediately available.

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 metallic elements that are essential for manufacturing everything from smartphones to wind turbines. China currently dominates global production and processing of these materials, controlling roughly 80% of the world's supply, which has raised national security concerns among U.S. policymakers.

The push for alternative supply sources comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing have intensified over trade and technology issues in recent years. U.S. officials have increasingly viewed critical mineral dependence as a strategic vulnerability that needs to be addressed through domestic production and partnerships with allied nations.