America's Defense Industrial Base Begins at the Mine

The article highlights the strategic dependency of the U.S. defense industrial base on critical minerals dominated by China's mining, refining, and ownership structures, especially in cobalt and copper. It emphasizes the importance of securing both raw material sources and associated corporate control to ensure supply chain security and outlines a strategy involving domestic production, allied partnerships, and government-backed financing.

This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Defense Tech.