Pentagon Signals That U.S. Is Entering Wartime Resource Mobilization Phase
The Pentagon submitted an urgent request for the supply of 13 critical minerals that are integral defense metals
Reuters is reporting that the Pentagon is urgently requesting proposals for the supply of 13 critical minerals; the Pentagon asked members of the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), a group of more than 1,500 companies, universities and others that supply the military, for proposals to be submitted by March 20 for projects that could mine, process or recycle select minerals, the document showed.
The list of 13 minerals sought includes arsenic, bismuth, gadolinium, germanium, graphite, hafnium, nickel, samarium, tungsten, vanadium, ytterbium, yttrium and zirconium.
The U.S. is reliant on imports for most of the 13. Of course, China is the dominant global producer of all of them.
The Pentagon’s urgent request occurred on Friday February 28th, the day before US/Israeli strikes on Iran got underway.
Separately on Wednesday, the Defense Logistics Agency, which buys a range of goods for the U.S. military, asked for information from miners on potentially acquiring lithium, chromium and tellurium for military stockpiles.
It’s notable that tellurium is an extremely scarce metal that is almost entirely produced as a byproduct of copper refining—annual global production is less than 700 tonnes per year and China controls a large share of global tellurium supply.
Pentagon urgently seeking supply of 13 critical minerals
The U.S. Department of Defense requested proposals from mining companies to increase domestic supply of 13 strategic minerals used in weapons, semiconductors, aerospace systems, and advanced electronics.
The targeted minerals include:
Arsenic
Bismuth
Gadolinium
Germanium
Graphite
Hafnium
Nickel
Samarium
Tungsten
Vanadium
Ytterbium
Yttrium
Zirconium
These materials are critical for:
missile guidance systems
radar
semiconductors
aerospace alloys
rare-earth magnets and electronics
The Pentagon requested proposals through the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), which includes ~1,500 companies and institutions.
Funding could be substantial but China is still dominant
The government indicated potential project funding of $100 million to $500 million for qualifying projects that can mine, process, or recycle these materials domestically.
Companies were asked to submit proposals by March 20, suggesting the Pentagon wants to move quickly.
The U.S. remains heavily import-dependent for most of these minerals, and China is the dominant producer for many of them.
This initiative is part of a broader push by Washington to:
reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains
build domestic processing capacity
create allied mineral trading blocs
Timing linked to geopolitical escalation
The request came one day before U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, highlighting the connection between military readiness and mineral supply chains.
Simultaneously:
U.S. weapons stockpiles are being depleted by current conflicts.
The Pentagon is pushing defense contractors to scale production.
This implies defense-metal supply security is now a wartime priority.
The Strategic Message Behind The Pentagon’s Move
This is effectively a signal from the Pentagon that the U.S. is entering a wartime resource mobilization phase.
Important points:
Defense supply chains are exposed to China
The U.S. wants domestic mines and processing capacity
Government capital will fund projects quickly
In other words, critical minerals are being securitized. We’ve emphasized this point many times over the last year, but it doesn’t get any clearer than this:
The critical minerals supply chain is the most urgent national security threat to the United States of America. The Pentagon isn’t playing around.
For investors in the mining sector (especially juniors), this is potentially a major catalyst.
1. Specialty metals outside lithium/copper are becoming strategic
The Pentagon list focuses on less crowded markets:
Most important metals in the list:
Tungsten
Germanium
Graphite
Rare earths (Y, Sm, Yb, Gd)
Nickel
Vanadium
Hafnium / zirconium
These are defense metals, not EV metals.
2. Nickel Is a Key Defense Metal
Nickel is essential for high-temperature alloys used in military hardware, especially:
Superalloys for aerospace
fighter jet engines
turbine blades
hypersonic systems
naval propulsion
Defense equipment
armor plating
missiles
naval vessels
advanced electronics
Nickel-based superalloys are used in jet engines and turbines because they retain strength at extreme temperatures, which is critical for aircraft and missile systems.
Because of these applications, nickel is classified among the strategic minerals tied to national security supply chains.
3. U.S. projects will likely get preferential treatment
Expect government capital flowing into:
U.S. mines
U.S. processing facilities
allied-country supply
Potential beneficiaries:
United States
tungsten projects
rare earth separation plants
nickel mines and especially nickel smelters/refineries
graphite processing
germanium recovery
Allies
Canada
Australia
Scandinavia
4. Processing and refining may be even more valuable than mines
Many of these metals are byproducts (e.g., germanium from zinc refining, bismuth from copper refining, etc.).
The real bottleneck:
refining capacity
separation technology
Companies building processing plants could (read: “will”) receive funding.
5. Expect more DoD equity investments
The U.S. government has already invested in mining companies through:
DoD
EXIM Bank
Defense Production Act funding
I believe that this new request suggests another wave of government funding is imminent.
Position yourself accordingly.
Four stocks that are at the top of my list in terms of potentially benefiting from another wave of U.S. federal government funding are:
Neo Performance Materials (Daily)
Neo's advanced industrial materials – magnetic powders, rare earth magnets, magnetic assemblies, specialty chemicals, metals, and alloys – are critical to the performance of many everyday products and emerging technologies. Neo (TSX:NEO) has corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and with potential U.S. government support the company could expand its rare earth magnets processing capabilities into the United Sates.
Talon Metals (Daily)
Talon Metals (TSX:TLO) already has funding agreements in place with the Department of War (DoW) and the Department of Energy (DoE). However, I anticipate a much stronger government boost for Talon in 2026. I can see the DoW taking an equity stake in Talon, in addition to a plan to construct new nickel smelting and refining capacity in proximity of Talon’s Tamarack Project in Minnesota and Eagle Mine in Michigan (Upper Peninsula).
The location of the new nickel processing facilities could be in North Dakota, Minnesota, or Michigan—regardless of location, this will be a major breakthrough for U.S. domestic nickel mining and it will bolster U.S. critical minerals supply chain independence.
Talon is the #1 candidate for U.S. government investment in this next wave of funding for the U.S. mining industry.
Almonty Industries (Daily)
Almonty (TSX:AII) is the tungsten stock. AII is a leading supplier of conflict free tungsten – a strategic metal critical to the defense and advanced technology sectors. Almonty’s flagship Sangdong Mine in South Korea, historically one of the world’s largest and highest-grade tungsten deposits, is expected to supply over 80% of global non-China tungsten production upon reaching full capacity, directly addressing critical supply vulnerabilities highlighted by recent U.S. defense procurement bans and export restrictions by China. With established operations in Portugal and additional projects in the United States and Spain, Almonty is strategically aligned to meet rapidly rising demand from Western allies committed to supply-chain security and defense readiness.
Fireweed Metals (Daily)
Fireweed Metals’ (TSX-V:FWZ) total metal inventory across its project portfolio (Macpass District) is very impressive. But most importantly, FWZ’s Mactung Project in NWT is the world’s largest high-grade tungsten deposit. For those who know tungsten, Mactung is a real geologic freak of nature with wide areas of mineralization with tungsten grades above 2% WO3. Mactung is advancing as planned, supported by a Department of War award (US$15.8 million) made via Title III of the U.S. Defense Production Act of 1950 and announced December 2024—Fireweed has commenced a feasibility study on Mactung.
The latest Pentagon news reinforces that critical minerals are becoming a defense asset class.
Drivers:
U.S.–China resource competition
AI / semiconductor supply chains
missile & weapons production
geopolitical conflict
In practical terms:
strategic metals valuations could rerate
government funding will accelerate project timelines
Western supply chains will be subsidized
Copper and gold are great, but defense metals are now coming into focus
Disclosure: Author owns shares of Talon Metals and Neo Performance Materials at the time of publishing and may choose to buy or sell at any time without notice.
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Homeland Nickel? and out of scope, Canada Nickel?