Trump Launches $12 Billion Project Vault to Secure U.S. Supply Chains

President Donald Trump, alongside Mary Barra (GM) and Robert Friedland (Ivanhoe Mines), has officially launched Project Vault, a $12 billion strategic initiative designed to secure the American industrial supply chain.

Key Highlights:

• The Investment: A $12 billion total commitment, anchored by a landmark $10 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of the United States and $2 billion in private capital.

• The Goal: Create a "Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve" to protect civilian manufacturing from supply shocks and reduce dependence on foreign sources (specifically China) for rare earths, lithium, cobalt, and gallium.

• Major Beneficiaries: Strategic support for the supply chains of Alphabet (Google), Boeing, Stellantis, Corning, and GE Vernova.

• Operational Leaders: Procurement and logistics are being spearheaded by commodity heavyweights Hartree Partners, Traxys Group, and Mercuria.

• Market Impact: The shift provides a massive demand driver for domestic and strategic producers, including USA Rare Earth (USAR), Critical Metals Corp (CRML), and NioCorp Developments (NB).

The Real Reason Gold Crashed, And Why the Bottom Isn't In Yet

The financial world is still reeling from the "30-Minute Crime Scene" that saw Gold and Silver prices crater on the back of a historic deleveraging event.

The catalyst was clear: President Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve Chair. The shift from a dovish outlook to a hawkish reality sent the US Dollar surging, but the mechanical destruction was amplified by the CME Group and the Shanghai Gold Exchange raising margin requirements.

Key takeaways from the street:

• Greg Shearer and the J.P. Morgan team have actually raised their year-end target to $6,300, seeing this as a structural reset.

• Michael Hsueh at Deutsche Bank remains bullish on the long-term fundamentals despite the short-term pain.

• Raoul Pal of Global Macro Investor noted the spillover effects from the crypto market, where collateral liquidations added fuel to the fire.

With Goldman Sachs and UBS watching the $4,360 support level closely, the market is bracing for more volatility. This isn't just about price, it's about the transition to a new era of Fed policy.

Operation Mineral Independence: Retired Officers Lead the Charge for Critical Minerals

"National Sovereignty" is the new mission, and the Generals are reporting for duty.

A surging trend is reshaping the market: military and government heavyweights are increasingly joining the boards of critical mineral and defense-tech companies.

This isn't just about optics; it's about survival in a constrained world.

• Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML) has brought on Gen. Timothy Ray and Rear Adm. Peter Stamatopoulos.

• Allied Critical Metals (CSE: ACM) is tapping into the expertise of former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Maj. Gen. James Spider Marks.

• Almonty Industries Inc (TSX: AII) continues to push forward with General Gus Perna.

• United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE: UAMY) saw massive wins after appointing Gen. Jack Keane.

• Juno Industries Inc., a defense-tech firm, not a resource play, proves this trend is sector-wide, launching with former Canadian Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan at the helm.

From MP Materials (NYSE: MP) to USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAR), the message is clear:

To win the resource (or technology) war, you need battle-tested leadership.

Which Mining Junior Will Become the Next Copper Mega-Major?

As AI demand adds an extra 110,000 tonnes of pressure to the market, leadership in the mining sector is pivoting toward innovation and rapid development.

Great to see the progress being made by companies like Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX: ASCU | OTCQX: ASCUF) under George Ogilvie, P.Eng., and the tech-forward approach Robert Friedland is taking with Ivanhoe Electric (NYSE: IE).

The scale of the "Green Transition" is evident in the massive QB2 ramp-up by Teck Resources Limited (NYSE: TECK) led by Jonathan Price, while Simon Trott at Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO) and Oscar Gonzalez Rocha at SOUTHERN PERU COPPER CORPORATION (NYSE: SCCO) continue to manage the world's most critical mineral pillars.

Shoutout to the teams at Solaris Resources Inc. (TSX: SLS), Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX), and Glencore for navigating a market where a 590,000-tonne deficit is the new baseline.

Copper isn't just a commodity anymore; it's a strategic asset for the digital age.

Golden Parachutes: Investors Bail Back In

If you blinked last week, you saw a crash. If you blinked today, you missed the fire sale of the decade.

The narrative that the precious metals super-cycle is over has been swiftly debunked by a massive influx of capital. Dip buyers and institutional bulls are bailing back in, dismissing the recent drop as mere turbulence.

The State of the Rebound:

• Gold: Reclaimed territory near $4,950/oz (up 6.2%).

• Silver: Surged over 10% to top $87/oz.

• The Outlook: J.P. Morgan sees this as just the "early innings," upgrading their 2026 forecast to $6,300.

While retail investors panicked, the smart money treated the drop as a strategic discount. The parachute didn't just break the fall; it’s lifting the market back up.

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