Tungsten Is the Next Flash Point in the Resource Race

Tungsten Is the Next Flash Point in the Resource Race

Alarmed by Beijing’s rare earths chokehold, Washington is scrambling to plug other potential vulnerabilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump, center, joined by lawmakers and members of his administration, delivers remarks during a dinner with leaders of Central Asian countries in the East Room of the White House in Washington. November 12, 2025, 3:18 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Alarmed by the United States’ exposure to China’s rare earths chokehold, the Trump administration is accelerating efforts to identify and plug any of the country’s other potential mineral vulnerabilities.

One such target is tungsten. Tungsten may not roll off of the tongue, or sound as alluring as rare earths, but the obscure metal is known for