The Department of the Interior has issued its final 2025 list of critical minerals, imports of which could become subject to Section 232 tariffs depending on the outcome of an ongoing investigation.
The DOI has added the following ten critical minerals to this list, bringing the total to 60: boron, copper, lead, metallurgical coal, phosphate, potash, rhenium, silicon, silver, and uranium.
The DOI has previously said that the minerals on this list (1) are essential to U.S. economic or national security, (2) have supply chains vulnerable to disruption, and (3) serve an essential function in the manufacturing of a product whose absence would have significant consequences for U.S. economic or national security (e.g., applications related to energy technology, defense, currency, agriculture, consumer electronics, and healthcare). This list will be updated at least every two years.
In April 2025 President Trump directed the Bureau of Industry and Security to initiate a Section 232 investigation of critical minerals (i.e., those included on the DOI list) and their derivative products. Recommendations for action could include the imposition of tariffs as well as other import restrictions; safeguards to avoid circumvention and weakening of any section 232 measures; policies to incentivize domestic production, processing, and recycling; and any additional measures that may be warranted to mitigate national security risks. A White House fact sheet noted that any Section 232 tariffs imposed “would take the place of the current reciprocal tariff rate” on covered goods.
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