Morocco Plays Key Role in Global Critical Minerals Supply Chains, Says US Secretary of State
Marrakech, The Gulf Observer: Morocco plays a “key role” in global efforts to secure and diversify critical mineral supply chains, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday during a ministerial meeting in Washington.
Speaking at a press conference held on the sidelines of the Critical Minerals Ministerial at the US State Department, Rubio highlighted Morocco’s strategic importance in the global minerals sector, citing both its resource base and its commitment to industrial transformation.
“Morocco has a key role to play because of the deposits it has, but also because of the kingdom’s willingness to invest in transformation and its cooperation in agreeing to participate in this global initiative,” Rubio said.
He emphasized the North African country’s economic potential in the sector, noting that Morocco’s substantial mineral reserves position it to play a leading role in leveraging critical minerals for economic development.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita took part in the high-level gathering, which brought together foreign ministers and senior officials from more than 50 countries. The opening session featured US Vice President JD Vance.
Rubio noted that Morocco, like other participating nations, has a vested interest in diversifying global supply chains. “It has an interest in having reliable and diversified supply worldwide of processed, finished and refined materials that can be used profitably to promote its economic development,” he said, adding that Washington welcomed Morocco’s active participation in the initiative.
Critical minerals include nonfuel materials essential for the production of batteries, electric vehicles, semiconductors, military equipment, and advanced technologies. These minerals include nickel, cobalt, lithium, aluminum, zinc, and 17 rare earth elements such as lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium.
The United States currently relies entirely on imports for 12 critical minerals and imports at least half of its needs for an additional 29 minerals. Rare earth elements are particularly vital due to their magnetic properties, which are essential for electric vehicle motors, renewable energy systems, and medical devices.
Morocco possesses significant reserves of cobalt, copper, nickel, and phosphate—estimated at around 70–75 percent of global phosphate reserves—used extensively in electric vehicle battery production. Its mineral wealth and free-trade access to Western markets have attracted major Chinese battery and automotive manufacturers, reinforcing the country’s position as a strategic hub in the global EV supply chain.
Washington Targets China’s Mineral Dominance
The Washington meeting also marked the launch of the “Forum on Geostrategic Engagement in the Minerals and Resources Sector,” part of broader US efforts to counter China’s dominance in critical minerals. Vice President Vance unveiled plans for a preferential trade bloc, including coordinated price floors designed to prevent market manipulation.
“We want to eliminate that problem of people flooding into our markets with cheap critical minerals to undercut our domestic manufacturers,” Vance said, without directly naming China.
Discussions centered on investment strategies and price floor mechanisms, addressing concerns over China’s control of approximately 60 percent of rare earth mineral extraction and about 90 percent of global processing capacity.
“These minerals are heavily concentrated in the hands of one country,” Rubio said, describing the situation as a growing geopolitical leverage tool. China began restricting exports of rare earth metals last year, introducing controls on seven minerals in April and five additional minerals in October, measures that led to production disruptions for automakers in Europe and the United States.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced Project Vault, a strategic US minerals stockpile supported by $10 billion from the Export-Import Bank and $2 billion in private investment. The initiative aims to establish reference prices and tariff adjustments to stabilize markets.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also announced bilateral plans with Mexico and trilateral cooperation with the European Union and Japan to strengthen supply chains.
China’s embassy in Washington said Beijing “has long played an important and constructive role in keeping the global industrial and supply chains of critical minerals safe and stable.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said 11 additional countries are set to join the critical minerals trade coalition this week, with 20 more expressing strong interest. Participating countries include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, France, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Sweden, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia.
