Kei Onishi

Critical Minerals, Critical Risks: Securing Supply Chains | Global Conference 2025

Daniel Yergin, Frank Fannon, Nicholas Myers, Kei Onishi, Vandita Pant, Nick Myers

Driven by surging demand from AI infrastructure and electrification, the global market faces a critical supply gap that requires doubling copper production by the mid-2030s. While China currently dominates rare earth output and smelting capabilities, emerging U.S. ventures like Phoenix Tailings are leveraging zero-emission technologies to process industrial waste and secure supply chains. Strategic investments from major automakers and corporate venture arms are accelerating domestic refining and exploration, yet the sector remains constrained by decades-long permitting cycles and a massive infrastructure funding deficit.