BEIJING — China will start limiting exports of critical metal tungsten this weekend, just as alternatives to Chinese suppliers of the metal are reopening....

A South Korean mine has reopened after two decades of disuse, with the potential to be a reliable source of a rare metal critical for modern militaries that China has a near-stranglehold over. Packing a high energy density and nearly as hard as a diamond, tungsten penetrates targets more effectively than other metals, making it essential for weapons like armor-piercing rounds. Thanks to its durability, corrosion resistance and high conductivity, tungsten also has a wide range of civilian applications, from industrial cutting tools and light bulbs to electric vehicle batteries and microchips produced by businesses like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Nvidia. This has major implications for Washington's push to diversify critical supply chains away from countries it considers adversarial....

U.S. mining projects are growing reliant on Washington's financial support to offset global competition, a reality underscored by Sibanye Stillwater's(SSWJ.J), opens new tab decision last month to lay off hundreds of Montana miners after it failed to qualify for an obscure tax credit tied to the Inflation Reduction Act, opens new tab. Sliding prices for several critical minerals this year - in part due to overproduction in China, Russia and elsewhere - have put the traditionally conservative U.S. mining companies in the unusual position of seeking Washington's help to survive, a reliance that helps link their corporate fates to American government decisions....

The coalition is the west’s answer to China’s control of minerals that are critical to the energy transition...

China’s leaders are now in cleanup mode to stabilize the two biggest drags on the economy — the housing slump and weak local government finances. That’s perhaps the easiest way to understand the flurry of policy moves emanating from Beijing these days. The latest salvo came on Saturday, when Finance Minister Lan Fo’an held a closely watched briefing to unveil plans to allow local governments to sell bonds to swap debts and use special bonds to buy unsold homes, along with other measures. Investors who were looking for a big bazooka stimulus figure didn’t get one, leaving markets puzzled. With fiscal plans needing approval from the legislature, those expectations may have been off the mark to begin with. But economists say it’s the tone of the policy switch rather than any big number that really matters, and on that front, they’re encouraged....

China dominates supply chains for materials that are key for defense, electric vehicles and nuclear power...

A key concern for mining leaders is China’s shifting economy and the domino effect on supply and demand for critical minerals....

President Joe Biden is spending the final months of his term tightening the screws on China, capping an approach that has seen him carry out a difficult juggling act in office to counter the world’s second largest economy. That effort will be on display this weekend as Biden hosts the Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, bringing Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India, Fumio Kishida of Japan and Anthony Albanese of Australia to his hometown....

A new report from the Department of Labor raises tough questions about whether and to what extent forced labor and child labor are intertwined with climate-friendly technology. The department released a report this month finding that several minerals that are key components of electric vehicles and solar panels may be produced through these unethical labor practices. The findings point to major ethical quandaries surrounding the ongoing energy transition. Climate change, if not addressed, endangers many of the world’s most vulnerable people. At the same time, the report raises serious human rights concerns about the technology being used to address it....

Washington’s support for a minerals train connecting the DRC to the Atlantic illustrates its desire to compete with China...

And for now, the United States has few other options....

Can the technology give Washington the edge in a vital and deeply competitive industry?...