President Donald Trump is expected to attend a roundtable on Friday with top mining executives hosted by the U.S. State Department, according to two people familiar with the planning. The event is part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to expand domestic and allied supplies of critical minerals needed for energy, defense and advanced technologies. The agenda, participants and other details remain fluid and could change, according to the sources. The administration has made securing critical minerals supply chains a priority, taking steps to boost domestic production and processing, reduce reliance on China and strengthen partnerships with allies.
It has argued that expanding the sector will require not only investment in mines and processing facilities but also a larger pipeline of skilled workers, including engineers, geologists, miners and technicians, as companies face a shortage of talent needed to support future projects.
Also Read: US military seeks 'creative' ways to pressure Iran
The U.S. Department of Energy is also expected to host an event on Friday focused on workforce development, according to a third person with direct knowledge of the planning.
That event will include representatives from all 14 accredited U.S. mining schools, and aims to raise awareness of mining as a career path while highlighting the need for more students to enter the field, the source said. China's broad network of mining schools has helped it become the world's largest minerals producer.
The White House, Energy Department and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Also Read: Trump hails Chevron's comeback, tells oil firms: 'Get your consumer (retail) oil prices down, now'
"We look forward to continuing to work with (the administration) on solutions to responsibly develop our nation's vast resources, secure our supply chains and create the mining workforce of the future," said Ashley Burke of the National Mining Association, an industry trade group.
